Caffeinated beverages have long been marketed to computer gamers. Now, a Japanese company has launched a new caffeinated food product for gamers, designed to be eaten with one hand, while playing…
Nippon Ham Co. has released Ramen Boost, combining two top faves of rabid gamers: the universal Japanese snack, Ramen, and a caffeine-boosted beverage. The produce is advertised as requiring no heating and comes in a flexible pouch from which you can squeeze the stuff right into your mouth.
Latest development
It’s the latest development in a burgeoning ‘gamer food’ niche. The specialty segment originated in Japan, devotées tell us, simply because Japan is the computer gaming capital of the world.
But a recent survey conducted for Kaspersky, the global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, revealed that 40 percent of the world’s population identify themselves as computer gamers. Of course, not all of those are compulsive players. But those who are say they want to be able to take aboard sustenance without putting down their controllers.
Mental health a concern
The survey also showed that ‘serious’ gamers are concerned about their mental health. In fact, “82 percent of pro gamers [agreed that] mental well-being is essential for top performance in gaming.”
Alas, the survey also found, “40 percent of […] pros would agree to keep playing, instead of taking more breaks for sleep or eating healthier food to improve their performance.” And only 25 percent said their own ‘general fitness’ was a concern.
But is caffeine the answer?
Probably not. Caffeine doesn’t really give you an ‘energy’ boost, it’s a chemical stimulant. And when it wears off, you craqsh. Take your coffee with two sugars, and you get a sugar crash on top of the caf-feine withdrawal.
As for the ‘food’ angle… I can’t see the Boost Noodle concept delivering what gamers need to truly bolster themselves against the physical ravages of long playing sessions without breaks. Ramen, after all, is really just carbs with flavourings. I wondered whether the Boost Noodle products were fortified with essential nutrients like Gatorade and other ‘sports’ drinks. But the company website is written entirely in Japanese…
My take
I’m not a gamer. And I don’t know anyone who is – let alone anyone who would qualify as a ‘serious’ gamer. But if I did, and they asked me about Boost Noodle… I’d have to tell them I can’t recommend the stuff.
If they want something really good for them, that will really boost their metabolisms and truly ener-gize them, gamers – in my humble opinion – ought to consider grabbing a banana, an apple or a handful of Trail Mix…
~ Maggie J.