How does ‘pixel-flavored’ Coke taste? Well, we drank it

polygon.com:

In case you missed it, Coca-Cola has a new limited-edition beverage that was “born in the metaverse” and apparently is “pixel-flavored.” Called Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte, the drink originally premiered in Fortnite (sure!) and is available through the official Coca-Cola Creations website till it sells out. (It costs about $15 for a two-pack, by the way, so it is still available.)

What does “pixel-flavor” taste like, though? Well, the Coca-Cola folks describe it as “an innovative taste inspired by the playfulness of pixels, rooted in the experiences that gaming makes possible.” That is an ambitious way to describe a drink, and we couldn’t help but want to put it to the test.

On a cloudy afternoon, five Polygon staffers gathered around a can of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte, eager to sample this strange and new beverage. The can itself was aesthetically pleasing, a pale purple accented with turquoise and fuchsia “pixels.” We gathered some cups — and crushed ice for those of us with more refined palettes — and poured out some fresh Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte.

After a few sips, it was clear that is not your average Coca-Cola Zero. There are certainly the undertones of a typical Coca-Cola beverage, but before I can even process that, I am hit with a tsunami of artificial fruitiness that I cannot quite make sense of. Is it citrus? Is it berry? Does it have notes of mint? In the end, I boil it down to “tutti-frutti,” which is both specific and incredibly vague. As it turns out, my colleagues have similar sentiments:

Tasha Robinson

It has the usual Coke problem of not tasting like much of anything after the first sip. It smells a little spicy and a little floral, and for a second at the beginning, you get the impression of something