Update — 15/01/2018: A previous version of this article stated that McDonald’s created a “McNiP” hamburger in 2013 to promote NiP’s Counter-Strike team. The “McNiP” was created by an esports enthusiast as part of a McDonald’s marketing campaign.

This year’s Starcraft II World Champion Series will feature one of the world’s most recognizable brands as a sponsor: Mcdonald’s. Or, at least, it will in Australia.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The fast food chain will be the first company to support the WCS with on-ground activations, content integration and branding.[/perfectpullquote]

The fast food chain will be the first company to support the WCS with on-ground activations, content integration and branding for two Australian events.

2017 marks a return to a live setting for the Starcraft II WCS, with the last public tournament taking place five years ago. The competition is making its comeback thanks to a recent partnership between Blizzard, ESL and You Know Media; a gaming Australian media publisher who are bringing the games to the continent for the first time.

You Know Media CEO Ryan Cunningham said:

“It’s a big step to support this growing sport and its huge local audience, which is hungry for brands to help take them to the next level. Credit should go to Blizzard who recognised the potential in a new partnership like this which grows the category and challenges how brand sponsorships can enhance and grow sports.”

Starcraft II esports have taken a back seat this year, after the Korea e-Sports Association shut down its most prestigious circuit, the ProLeague. Blizzard appear to be prepping it for a comeback however, with a remastered version of the original game slated for release this summer. Starcraft II will also be one of the esports featured this year in the 5th Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games, an Olympic sanctioned event that will include competitive gaming as a “demonstration sport”.

Mcdonald’s support of an esport event is curiously timed. It was announced earlier this month that the restaurant chain would end its Olympic sponsorship agreement three years early, apparently “to focus on different business priorities”. The 40 year-old deal, which was thought to be worth roughly $100 million for each four-year Olympic cycle, has now been picked up by ESL’s new technical partner – Intel.