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Razer Brings Hardcore Gaming to the Mainstream 20

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Fueled by a desire to innovate for the sake of PC Gaming, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan relishes his role as a torchbearer in a thriving games industry Written by: Kevin Scarpati >>>

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BUSINESS LEADERS Razer Brings Hardcore Gaming to the Mainstream

T

an co-founded Razer in Carlsbad, Calif. in the mid-2000s, and since then, he’s been the mastermind behind transforming a tiny peripherals company into one of the world’s most innovative video game brands.

“When I approached my parents with what I wanted to do, they were resistant to say the least,” Tan said.

“I grew up playing video games, but my parents weren’t alone when they

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thought there was no potential in it.

I think they’d be the first to admit that they were wrong.”

A THRIVING INDUSTRY Tan jumped into a gaming business that has grown exponentially since he helped found Razer in 2005.

More than 300 million people play PC games worldwide today, putting Razer in a position to use its resources to fill the needs of gamers everywhere when it comes to designing hardware, software

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and systems.

The gaming industry recently surpassed the motion picture business as the most lucrative arm of the entertainment sector.

Not surprisingly, game developers across North America are creating content for all sorts of devices, from PCs to consoles to tablets to Smartphones.

“It’s been surreal to watch gaming go from a hardcore niche to a mainstream audience,” Tan said.

“You watch previews for upcoming video games, and it’s like you’re watching a nine-figure movie trailer.

That’s part of what’s inspired us as a company to develop such groundbreaking product. We need

to keep up with the developers.”

LEADING THE CHARGE IN PC INNOVATION It hasn’t been easy, however, to make true innovation possible in the computer systems space.

Tossing aside conventional hurdles like finding the right engineers and overhead costs, Tan and Razer also had to fight conventional thinking when it came to pushing what he calls “true innovation.”

“The PC giants listened to the general consumer who wanted products cheaper and cheaper. They cut their costs, outsourced their tech and design to external manufacturers,” MAY | 2013 |

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Razer Brings Hardcore Gaming to the Mainstream said Tan. “We’re left with less innovation, less technology and the commoditization of the PC. “Today, none of the PC giants dare to push the envelope of technology for the PC because they are afraid that no one will buy it. It’s up to us to make the difference.”

when it comes to true innovation.”

A CULT FOLLOWING A mentality to create the best product at all costs naturally endears a consumer to a company, and the Razer brand has managed to build a ravenous and active cultlike community.

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY Razer’s Facebook fanpage With that mindset at hand, Tan went (www.facebook.com/razer) itself about investing in systems and has more than 2 million fans, while software engineers to transform Tan’s unabashed views on gaming Razer from a peripherals company in general have earned him close to to a gaming company. Razer 200,000 fans on his fanpage (www. scooped up engineers from OQO, facebook.com/minliangtan) where a former U.S. computer hardware he regularly engages with the company known for making community directly. the smallest and most powerful “It keeps things interesting, personal computers the world had being so involved in what the ever seen. people want to see,” Tan said, That ingenuity was vital when it “and it validates our brand and came to Razer bringing to market the industry we’re involved in the Blade, the thinnest and lightest when so many people actively gaming laptop in the world, and participate in moving the gaming the Edge, the most powerful tablet discussion forward.” in the world and the overall 2013 “Best of Show” winner at CES. E-SPORTS “What we do from a design The flourishing industry has also perspective is insane,” John Wilson, had a massive ripple effect on VP of Systems at Razer and former individuals involved, most notably OQO engineer, said. “Nobody in the realm of what’s known as spends the proportion of available e-Sports. These cyber athletes resources on design like we do. Is it forego traditional athletic wear in profitable? No, but it’s what allows favor of a mouse and keyboard. us to push the envelope forward Behind the guidance of Tan, MAY | 2013 |

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BUSINESS LEADERS Razer Brings Hardcore Gaming to the Mainstream

Razer’s growth can be closely tied to the explosion of e-Sports worldwide. Growing from Local Area Network (LAN) parties in friends’ garages, e-Sports has evolved into an international phenomenon, with arenas throughout North America hosting prestigious gaming events.

Last year at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, for example, a $2 million prize purse was awarded to Season 2 finalists for the game League of Legends. A pair of Razer-sponsored teams competed in the finals, which is becoming commonplace at professional

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gaming events, by virtue of Razer’s unparalleled support of players in the space.

“We sponsor 400 gamers in 35 countries worldwide, with some of the biggest teams and names fighting for Team Razer,” Tan said.

“These e-Sports players are not the standard geeks playing in a basement. Many of them are international icons – celebrities even – who command six- and even seven-figure salaries.

“They treat the gear they use like a professional basketball player treats his shoes. Naturally, they’ll gravitate toward us and our

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industry-leading product with so much at stake.”

users worldwide.

“My idea for a perfect device is one that I can easily take with me and THE FUTURE OF GAMING one that I can do everything on,” Tan While e-Sports figures to continue said. “The Edge is the closest thing to to grow and play a part in the that on the market right now, but I’d development of gaming, it doesn’t love to see a high-powered PC in a answer the question as to where Smartphone form factor. the industry is heading. Tan thinks “We’re not there yet, but if his field is converging, with devices you give Razer and our crack that can do more than just play engineering team some time, I’m games in a single fashion. fully confident we’ll be the true Razer’s latest big product, innovators for PC gamers – and the multivariate Edge, is a step in users – everywhere.” that direction, but there’s plenty of room for improvement to meet the demand of insatiable PC

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