McDonald’s takes a step forward in the digital item market, thanks to Genshin Impact.
On Tuesday, McDonald’s and game developer Hoyoverse announced a new partnership to take Genshin Impact-themed menu items to the store. McDonald’s has done countless video game collaborations — from retro Sonic handhelds to the Tetris McNugget — but this one stands out. Not only does it mean Genshin Impact is coming to the grocery chain in the US for the first time, but it also changes the standard Happy Meal playbook. Instead of toys, this campaign gives players in-game currency and cosmetic items.
The McDonald’s and Genshin Impact collab starts on September 17, and customers can only purchase items in the US via the McDonald’s app. Fans will have the option to choose between the “Genshin Impact Apple Pie,” which comes in special packaging featuring Kaedehara Kazuha and Beidou, or the “Genshin Impact Deluxe McCrispy Meal,” which doesn’t have the cool packaging but does include special in-game items. The apple pie rewards players with 40 Primogems, 3 Golden Apple Pastries, and an in-game “Golden Apple Pastry” recipe, while the meal gives players the “Wings of Delicacies” wind glider and the “Celebration: Crispy and Sweet” name tag.
In general, these aren’t the most flashy items. The Primogems only give players a quarter of a pull, and a new cooking recipe doesn’t mean much considering the game has 179 dishes, according to a fan Wiki countHowever, the shift to awarding digital in-game items is significant.
The Happy Meal, launched in 1977, gave kids something special just for them. Its defining features? A special box with a vibrant design and a surprise gift or toy inside. Since then, the Happy Meal has become an integral part of American culture, and its toys often inspire viral consumer trends. And with this mini-campaign, McDonald’s is rewarding customers with in-game items — where business is booming.
A 2024 Comscore report found that 82% of US gamers purchased in-game items in freemium games. As for Genshin Impact specifically, a 2022 analysis by Sensor Tower said the game had been downloaded more than 110 million times and generated more than $3.6 billion in revenue since its release. Other major brands, such as Nike, have already partnered with developers like Epic Games to bring virtual items to games like Fortnite.
Whether it works remains to be seen. McDonald’s has a similar collaboration with Overwatch in 2022 in Australia and it allowed fans to redeem a code and get a skin for Tracer, but fans criticized the collaboration for offering an ugly skin. A lot of Genshin Impact Fans are very attached to the game and the characters, so people will likely go to the store just for the specially printed packaging and the novelty of seeing Kazuha at the Golden Arches.