Zoned, a GameSquare (Nasdaq: GAME) company and 5-hour ENERGY partner to host Flavor Wars, a streamer community competition, to celebrate Fortnite’s 230 million monthly active players  and its cultural phenomenon status. This pinnacle move in mainstream gaming culture gives fans the opportunity to level up their skills and represent their favorite streamer to battle it out for a $10,000 cash prize and bragging rights as the ultimate gaming fanbase. 

Since gaming audiences prefer interactive and native ways of brand engagement over traditional ads, this new experience engages gamers in an innovative way that intersects one of the most popular digital games with the number one selling energy shot in the United States. 5-hour ENERGY’s entry into Fortnite comes as the gaming industry is leveling up in scale of the audience and cultural impact, as research by Newzoo has found that 72% of 35-54s and 46% of over 55s game at least once a week.

“We understand the intense focus and energy required for competitive gaming,” said Jeff Sigouin, President and COO of Living Essentials, LLC, makers of 5-hour ENERGY. “Flavor Wars is our way of fueling that passion and giving our consumers a truly unique way to compete with their favorite streamers and show off their Fortnite skills.”

The Flavor Wars custom Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) map launches Tuesday, August 13 at 10:30 a.m. PST. Fans will compete battle royale-style in a custom-built map by Zoned, divided into three distinct zones representing the 5-hour ENERGY Gamer Shot flavors: Apple Bash, Pineapple Charge and Rocket Raspberry.

Each representing their favorite flavor from the Gamer Shot variety pack, team captains and popular Fortnite streamers CouRage, LEGIQN and Sparkles_QT, will lead teams of five through 12 rounds in a high-stakes ‘Zone Wars’ game mode. During rounds, players can collect in-game 5-hour ENERGY power-ups to enhance specific in-game abilities, giving them a competitive edge. The winning team will not only claim the grand prize, but also solidify their status as the ultimate gaming champions.

“Zoned is thrilled to partner with 5-hour ENERGY to create the Flavor Wars UEFN map and competition. Our goal is to give back to the gaming community, adding value to one of the most popular Fortnite game modes, Zone Wars, by giving players new mechanics to explore!” said Kyle Hurder, Account Director at Zoned. “The Flavor Wars map and 5-hour ENERGY are part of the ever-growing Fortnite ecosystem, here to amplify the gaming experience and supercharge skills with Gamer Shots!”

To join the Flavor Wars, type "Flavor Wars" or enter map code 9664-6397-4487 in the Fortnite search bar. The competition kicks off on participating streamers' Twitch channels starting August 13. The 5-hour ENERGY Gamer Variety Pack, featuring Apple Bash, Pineapple Charge, and Rocket Raspberry flavors, is now available online.