- HI-CHEW’s third Fortnite activation integrates branded hubs, mini-games, and collectibles as part of a long-term gaming strategy.
- Influencers played a central role, judging creator competitions and amplifying the campaign’s credibility inside gaming culture.
- The campaign extends beyond Fortnite through social challenges, creating a reward loop that connects gameplay with brand loyalty.
By leveraging influencers as judges and amplifiers, the campaign bridges gaming fandom and brand storytelling.
HI-CHEW has re-entered Fortnite for the third consecutive year, demonstrating that its involvement in gaming is no longer a novelty but a recurring part of its marketing strategy.
The candy brand has partnered with Epic Games and Super League to introduce a new wave of branded experiences inside Fortnite’s Creative mode, cementing its presence in a space where Gen Z and millennial audiences already spend their time.
This sustained investment reflects a broader shift: brands are no longer treating gaming as a one-off experiment, but as an integrated cultural arena where long-term presence pays off.
The Chewbie-Dome as a Branded Hub
At the heart of this activation is the Chewbie-Dome, a candy-colored hub designed to immerse players directly into the brand universe. Within this hub, players can explore three custom-built HI-CHEW mini-games—Climbers, Chewlet Grabbers, and Block Drop—each built to maximize interactivity while weaving in brand identity.
Alongside these new additions, HI-CHEW has also reimagined classic Fortnite mini-games with branded variations, ensuring both novelty and familiarity. Mascot Chewbie plays a guiding role, underscoring how HI-CHEW has expanded its visual and character assets into gaming, ensuring that the campaign doesn’t simply overlay branding but builds a coherent in-game world.
@hichewusa this just might be the juiciest game yet… 🕹️play and chews your favorite with our all new games for minigame box PVP created in @fortnite! live now from 8/11 to 9/14 📍map code: 8532-9413-6963
Influencer-Driven Creator Competition
The most distinctive element of this year’s campaign is the creator competition. HI-CHEW sponsored the first-ever brand-led Fortnite creator contest, inviting community mapmakers to design original branded experiences.
To add credibility, three well-known Fortnite influencers—Birdo, Dagwummy, and ChitaZ—served as judges, ensuring the competition had cultural weight inside the gaming ecosystem. The three winning designs were not only funded but also integrated into Fortnite, extending the campaign’s impact beyond temporary brand presence.
@birdotv adShare this with someone you’re gonna try the new HI-CHEW mini games with! Use island code 8532-9413-6963 📷📷 #fortnite #fortnitecreative #hichew
This influencer-led judging panel illustrates a broader trend: rather than relying solely on corporate marketing voices, brands are increasingly using influencer authority to validate activations inside gaming communities.
Extending Play Through Social Challenges
HI-CHEW did not stop at in-game immersion. The brand created an unlockable digital platform that tied together in-game and social media challenges over a 16-week span. Fans could earn points by participating in tasks, which were redeemable for both digital items and physical rewards such as exclusive merchandise, candy packs, and discount codes.
This extension shows how the brand bridges digital and physical spheres, deepening consumer engagement and rewarding loyalty across channels. By aligning its in-game quests with out-of-game participation, HI-CHEW blurred the lines between gameplay, fandom, and brand consumption.
Positioning in the Gaming Economy
This activation signals HI-CHEW’s recognition of gaming as a cultural engine, not just a marketing platform. The brand’s use of influencers as both judges and amplifiers demonstrates how credibility in gaming depends on authentic community figures, not top-down messaging.
Meanwhile, the combination of branded play, creator-driven content, and reward systems highlights how HI-CHEW is constructing a layered presence that outlasts short-term promotions. By meeting its audience inside Fortnite, the brand builds long-term equity with digital-native consumers who increasingly expect brands to show up in their cultural spaces—not merely in retail aisles.
