They're at it again: Are you ready for KFC's next crazy tech idea? If so, make room on your dance card to pay the chicken chain a visit the next time you're playing Animal Crossing. Always on the cutting edge of bizarre, the Colonel has created a restaurant within the game.
On Wednesday, KFC Philippines launched its newest restaurant location, but it's not where you would expect it. Ungeek noticed the franchise now has a presence inside the video game Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
The little restaurant has everything you would expect from a brick-and-mortar KFC. The furnishings are decked out in the iconic red decor. There are placards advertising food items and little buckets of chicken. Although, the water cooler and microwave do look a little out of place (below).
Colonel Sanders even makes an appearance in his classic white suit and hat done up in typical Animal Crossing big-head-little-body style. The Colonel isn't just for looks either. It would not be a proper KFC tech venture if there weren't a promotional hook. If players visit Colonel Sanders anywhere on the KFC island, they will get a code for a free 8-piece chicken bucket. Unfortunately, the offer is only good at KFC locations in the Philippines.
KFC is not the first to think of something like this. Last month, Quartz reported that Hong Kong food vendor Yummy House was actively looking for a skilled AC: NH player to build a branded island to promote its products during the pandemic. It is uncertain if its island is up an running yet.
It is also not the first time KFC has appeared in a video game. Last year, it commissioned developer Psyop to make a dating sim called "I Love You, Colonel Sanders!" It is still available on Steam for free. Before that, the company made a slightly creepy VR game for use as an in-house training simulator.
KFC has also had its lickin'-good fingers in other types of tech, including a KFC branded smartphone, facial recognition kiosks for ordering and paying, and a chicken wings box that transforms into a working quad-copter drone. What will it come up with next?
https://www.techspot.com/news/85678-kfc-now-has-restaurant-animal-crossing-new-horizons.html
