Razer helped shape modern PC gaming. From the legendary DeathAdder mouse to the rise of mechanical gaming keyboards, the company built a reputation for making some of the most iconic gaming gear ever created. But somewhere along the way, things got strange. In this video, we dive into the surprising story of Razer. A company that went from pushing the gaming industry forward to launching fintech products, gamer credit cards, energy drinks, luxury collaborations, smartphones, gaming desks, and even AI holograms. Along the way, Razer became one of the biggest gaming brands in the world, went public in a massive IPO, and then unexpectedly took itself private. So what happened? We break down Razer's rise, the products that made it famous, the unusual decisions that followed, and why many longtime fans believe the company lost sight of what made it special in the first place. We also look at the business challenges facing Razer today, including slowing growth, tariffs, rising component costs, and increasing competition from brands like Logitech, Corsair, ASUS, and Keychron. The story of Razer isn't really about a company that failed. It's about what happens when a brand known for doing one thing extremely well starts chasing everything else instead. Timestamps: 0:00 - Razer 0:35 - Innovation 5:07 - The “Lifestyle Brand” 8:13 - The Fall Sources: https://pastebin.com/QcskfEuQ
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0:02 the gaming **e-waste** brand😂😂
Cool, it’s gonna be even harder keeping my 2018 blade 15 maintained. As if getting parts from them wasn’t hard enough
Me here still using my Razer Ornata keyboard not knowing there was anything wrong with Razer. This thing been going strong for 9 years right now
I know someone who had a Razer phone and it caught fire and melted while charging. Had a keyboard that was too clicky. Had earphones that started shedding fake leather really fast. My mousepad stopped glowing but it's still the only thing I use from them. My Logitech 502 mouse has been a tank. I play WoW and have 3 spells on my scrollwheel, clicking them thousands of times per session. No issues at all.
Sounds so familiar, like, isn't Harley Davidson also selling everything that its target audiences don't want and collapsing slowly as a lifestyle brand.
The issue, for me, is having over 25 processes running in the background. For Razer Basilisks mouse and nothing else. Software is heavy and slow with million different modules etc. Doesn't seem like a product for people that just want to game with a good mouse.
Gosh they used to be amazing products, I'm still using the Blackwidow keyboard from 2011, still going strong.
Went to their website the other day. Their base laptop was 4k I was like no thanks
The day I learned I had to suck ass to download the software for my new headphones was the last day I ever bought a Razor product.
They stopped making a specific version of the razer mamba elite that had just the right components, mouse clicks were satisfying but heavy enough to not missclick. In my opinion it was the perfect gaming mouse. But they stopped selling for a newer version of the mamba with crap mouse buttons and a weird sensitivity button. I was forced to get a death adder elite instead. It’s not a bad mouse but just slightly smaller proportions in comparison.
There was a moment that i dreamt of having razor peripherals, and then realize. The brand was all just marketing.
My Razer mini still works to this day, sad to see the comp like this
I loved razer peripherals but the quality went downhill, the software is literally bloatware, and that fake leather in the headphones,chairs,and keyboard armrest disintegrates quickly
Only product of theirs I've had is the laptop cooler that came out after the Llano ones. Its alright but I paid only $49 at best buy for it not the $129 msrp. While the cooling performance is alright I really wish the USB ports were 10gbps 3.0 instead usb 2.0.
I had someone plug in their razer mouse to my laptop when they were briefly using it to scroll through some spreadsheets. In that time it installed 5 pieces of useless razer software I never asked for. Never again.
this has been more agood time since I discover mice clones 😂
A big thing that has hurt them is that companies started copying their RGB lighting heavy products which looked identical except for the Razer logo, and then sold them at half the price. A lot of gamers simply decided they were not going to pay $150 for a Razer keyboard, when they could get an off brand that looked the same for $50.
I still have a left-handed DeathAdder. I actually started using it again, after the right-hand button my Razer Lancehead started multi-clicking.
they talk about the quality, but I remember all the deathadders that died from bad microswitches over the years, until I stopped buying "gamer" products, and just bought a good office mouse that lasted years longer than anything razer ever made. I suppose that's how you get people to buy the next new product though.
ngl having sponsored links to razer products on this video is hilarious