Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan took to Twitter two days ago and explained why his company doesn't produce PlayStation accessories. As it stands now, Razer only offers products for both the PC platform and Microsoft's Xbox 360. To a PlayStation 3 gamer, it looks as if Razer has some sort of exclusivity deal with Microsoft.
However Razer's CEO admitted that one of the big reasons why his company doesn't make PlayStation accessories is because he simply doesn't spend time with the PlayStation 3. He's had the console for a long time, he said, but it's just collecting dust. Naturally that opened the door to some unnecessary flaming.
"I think I spent 2 days straight on it for Infamous - but haven't felt the need to go back since," he said after one Twitter user said Last of Us would change is mind.
One Twitter user called him selfish, and he followed up stating that he designs products that he actually wants as a gamer rather than sell devices to gamers for money, a stance he basically described to us during E3 2013. The new Razer Blade is a perfect example of that business model: he didn't just bake a laptop and throw it at consumers, but instead waited until both the technology and the time was right.
Still, he's obviously a big fan of the Xbox 360: Razer offers a number of controllers for Microsoft's box. To a consumer, the lack of PlayStation 3 support simply because Razer's CEO doesn't play on the console – because he hasn't spent quality hands-on time with Sony's console to design peripherals for Razer fans -- could be a little insulting.
"Fair enough," he said, "but there's got to be games I want to play on the PS3. I really like Infamous so hopefully I'll like Last of Us."
One Twitter user responding to his original comment took a racial stance (really people?) while another, using the #dumb hashtag, accused him of using fanboyism to lead the company and not make more money -- there's a big market for PlayStation 3 accessories. Another said that from a business standpoint, Razer should provide peripherals to all customers. After all, the slogan is "by gamers for gamers", right? PlayStation 3 owners are gamers too.
"It's not fanboyism," he said. "I loved some of the games on the PS3, but I just didn't play it as much. I'm looking forward to the PS4 tho. You're assuming it's just a business for us :) If it were, we'd be a much larger company than who we are today. But yes - we'll definitely be looking at PS4 but no promises there."
What Min-Liang Tan does with his company is his business, and it obviously works. The decision to not produce PlayStation 3 controllers means he's not willing to throw a product at consumers without his own personal involvement. It's a good thing that a company CEO is so involved with the products he designs, manufactures and sells.
At this point, there's no use in hoping that Razer will produce a PlayStation 3 controller, but to look ahead and see how Min-Liang Tan takes to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Meanwhile, PC gamers are bathing in Razer greatness, as always.
