Peanut butter and jelly. Batman and Robin. Rock and roll. Fried chicken and video games. Some things just go together—like KFC Gaming and Cooler Master, which teamed up to create a game console with a built-in roaster.
The KFConsole, a Bargain Bucket-shaped machine fitted with an internal cooling system to extract heat, is the "world's first" device to feature a chicken chamber, designed specifically to keep contents hot and "ready for consumption during intense gaming sessions," KFC says.
The American fast food restaurant chain is no stranger to unique PR stunts: It has hired a slew of celebrity Colonels (Rob Lowe, Ray Liotta, Billy Zane, Reba McEntire, and Mario Lopez have all donned the iconic goatee and string tie); released fried-chicken-flavored edible nail polish and scented bath bombs; and it follows only five Spice Girls and six guys named Herb on Twitter.
You'd be forgiven, however, for overlooking the KFConsole scheme, which began in June—amidst a global pandemic and heated US presidential campaign. Moving forward from an initial teaser campaign, the company last week provided its first look at the cock-a-doodle-dashboard.
"We're so pleased to finally give the fans exactly what they wanted: making the KFConsole a reality," Mark Cheevers, PR and social media lead at KFC UK and Ireland, says in a statement. "We all know the console war is vicious, but we're very confident in the KFConsole as our flagship entry. This machine is capable of running games at top-level specs, all on top of keeping your meal warm for you to enjoy during your gaming experience. What's not to like?
A greasy controller, for one. KFC worked with Cooler Master to create the device's "unique cooling system and...signature chicken chamber," which promises high performance via its an Intel Nuc 9 Extreme Compute Element, Asus-powered "buttery smooth" graphics, and fast speeds. It's also VR-ready, supports 4K TVs, and includes two Seagate BarraCuda 1TB SSDs.
The machine could be a real lifesaver during those long lockdown hours of button mashing. "If Sony or Microsoft want any tips on how to engineer a chicken chamber for their efforts next time, they'd be welcome to get in touch," Cheevers says.
"When we were approached by KFC Gaming to make the KFConsole, we jumped at the chance to get involved and enter the console war," says Stephen James, PR and influencer manager at Cooler Master. "The KFConsole has been custom built with the gamer at the front of mind. The last thing we want is anyone to go hungry while playing."
It's very possible this thing will never make it to your living room or kitchen. So if you can't get your hands on a KFConsole, check out our PS5 vs. Xbox Series X rundown.