Pizza Hut Canada’s latest campaign is unlocking the ultimate cheat code for gamers. The QSR is launching the “Pizza WRMR,” a console sleeve that harnesses the heat generated by hours of gaming, so that players can keep Pizza Hut pies above room temperature.

“Coincidentally, these gaming consoles can get up to 65ºC, which is the recommended temperature for keeping pizza warm,” Khohl Forsberg, ECD at Pizza Hut’s creative partner Leo Burnett, tells strategy. “But over the course of a gaming session, pizza gets cold. So when we thought about how Pizza Hut could show up for gamers, we realized we could use the heat that comes from their consoles to keep their pizza warm, and within reach, while they game.”

Pizza Hut Canada calls the copyrighted design the product of “science-driven industrial designers” and one that can be 3D printed. As part of the campaign, gamers can lock into player two mode by joining Zkmushroom live on Twitch, at 6 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, for a showcase of the Pizza WRMR. Customers will also have the opportunity to win exclusive Pizza Hut Canada merchandise.

While the core of the idea is “rooted in funny,” Pizza Hut took the development of the Pizza WRMR incredibly seriously, Forsberg says. “It is a real, working piece of design that delivers on what it was created to do,” he says. “And the more seriously we take it, the more fun it becomes. Which is why the campaign leans into the tech world’s product launches and tone as hard as it does.”

Forsberg says pizza companies are constantly trying to connect with gamers, either by showing them in action or making their way into games, but this is unique in that it leverages the console and hardware gamers actually use. “This idea was a great opportunity to show our appreciation for this specific audience and have some fun within their world,” he says. “By ensuring our 3D print-designs were open-sourced, we managed to enter the e-gaming category authentically.”

Jennifer Ligotti, chief brand officer of Pizza Hut Canada, added that the brand tries to stay ahead of the curve in areas beyond its product. “Our brand embodies a spirit of unforgettable creativity, finding simple yet impactful ways to transform everyday experiences,” Ligotti said in a press release. “Everything we do is designed to delight our fans and bring more joy to their lives.”

Leo Burnett was named Pizza Hut Canada’s AOR in 2023.