Austrian energy drink Red Bull has partnered with US games developer Bungie to offer an exclusive mission in Bungie’s online first-person shooter game Destiny.

In conjunction with the September 15 release of Destiny’s biggest expansion pack to date, The Taken King, special edition Destiny Red Bull cans will include an access code that allows users to download and play an additional mission. The mission will be made available without a code on January 1 2016.

Previously, US games publisher Activision partnered with US food brands Doritos and Mountain Dew to unlock bonus in-game items and experience points in Call of Duty. However, Red Bull’s approach of tying an entire gaming environment exclusively to a brand partnership is new.

Interestingly, Destiny as a game is already heavily compartmentalised between different player groups, as a lot of content and items such as armour, weapons, spaceships and multiplayer maps are exclusive to gamers on the Playstation. This demonstrates how any component of a game can be subject to controlled access.

The potential for brands to give their customers exclusive gaming experiences – and be part of something they already enjoy – is vast. Read more about Red Bull’s prolific involvement with professional gaming sponsorship in our report The Gaming Revolution. For more on driving forces and popular formats in the sector, look at Gaming Trends.