Razer targets the booming Chinese gaming market

The gaming hardware company, Razer, have stepped up their bid to become a key player in the global esports market by announcing a new focus on the Chinese market. It’s expected that their upcoming event in October will showcase how a new gaming smartphone will help them penetrate one of the fastest-growing esports markets in the world.

Details are still tight about what to expect from the second-generation Razer Phone, but it’s thought that it will more than match other hot October smartphone releases from the likes of Google and Samsung. Whilst Razer is still seen as something of a niche brand, their decision to specifically target the Chinese gaming market shows that the company is keen to take on much larger hardware firms.

What can we expect from the Razer event?

The gaming world was intrigued to see that Razer sent out invites with the mysterious words ‘Flagship // Gaming’ for their event on 10 October 2018. However, the event is widely thought to see the unveiling of the second generation Razer Phone. This will follow on from the acclaimed Razer Phone that claimed to be the ultimate gaming phone and mobile entertainment device.

With impressive specs that included the world’s first 120HZ screen on a mobile device, UltraMotion technology offering hyper-accurate touch response, and even THX Certified stereo audio, it seems that Razer have set themselves a high standard to beat. Whilst some gamers were unhappy with the mobile device’s lack of headphone jack and high price tag, the Razer Phone quickly became a hit in the mobile gaming world where performance matters more than ever.

It remains to be seen how Razer will build on an already impressive smartphone, and with intense competition from the upcoming Google Pixel 3 and Pixel XL as well as the next Galaxy device, it seems that October is going to be a very interesting month. Just be sure to follow the unveiling of the new mobile via Razer’s social media channels and the Twitch.tv streaming service.

Why is Razer set on conquering the Chinese gaming market?

Recently released figures have stated that China will have over 768 million gamers and will generate $42 billion in gaming revenues by 2022. This shows that the timing of the announcement of the next Razer Phone is all the more significant, as the brand’s CEO, Min-Liang Tan, was recently interviewed on Bloomberg where he commented on the importance of targeting the booming Chinese gaming market. Whilst big names like Apple and Samsung have dominated the headlines over mobile hardware, it seems that Razer are taking aim at the nation’s hardcore gamers.

Whilst competitive gaming exploded from Korea to become a worldwide sensation everywhere from the US to Scandinavia, it seems that esports in China had been experiencing a slightly slower take-up. However all of that looks to have changed in the past few years, and with HUYA becoming the first Chinese streaming platform to be listed on the New York stock exchange, it seems that there’s a scramble to penetrate this rapidly growing market.

Alongside its formidable gaming hardware, Razer has diversified its output to run a monetisation platform that offers virtual credit for multiple games. What’s interesting is the fact that the brand have formed a partnership with PUGB Mobile to help the app monetise in Southeast Asia. This follows on from many Chinese tech companies who have already found success in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and Latin America.

How Razer came to be a key player

Razer was only founded in 2005, but the company has already made good on its pledge to offer gamers a specialist range of game peripherals, hardware and software. From their iconic Razer Blade gaming laptops, to weird and wonderful products like their three-screen Project Valerie laptop, it seems that the brand is constantly aiming to offer something special to dedicated gamers.

Much of this is based on the fact that the company CEO, Min-Liang Tan, was a semi-professional competitive gamer, and it’s his dedication to being one step ahead of rival brands that makes Razer such a fascinating company to watch.

However, Razer have a few steps to overcome before they can truly take advantage of the exploding China gaming market. The Chinese government recently announced a crackdown on the industry over fears of gaming addition, and it remains to be seen how well the brand can take on formidable homegrown tech manufacturers like Huawei, OnePlus, ZTE, Xiaomi and Lenovo. Thankfully, it seems that Razer are always willing to try something a little different and it will be interesting to see what the world’s 2.5 billion gamers will think of their new mobile gaming product.