FaZe Clan’s SteelSeries peripherals hit BestBuy shelves
3 min read
FaZe Clan and SteelSeries have announced a new line of co-branded peripherals. The line is now available exclusively at Best Buy retail locations across North America and BestBuy.com.
The co-branded line includes an Arctis Nova 7 headset, Apex 9 Mini keyboard, Aerox 3 wireless mouse and QcK XXL mouse pad. All of these peripherals will feature FaZe Clan’s signature black and red colorways, logo and camouflage print.
SteelSeries has sponsored the esports and lifestyle organization since 2018. That same year, the two brands launched their first co-branded QcK mousepad. This is the first collaboration between FaZe Clan and SteelSeries since then.
“As the original esports brand that fuses gaming & culture, and the worldwide leader in gaming and esports peripherals, we seek to empower and inspire through our products, our style, and with our partners,” said Tony Trubridge, Global Esports Director at SteelSeries. “Our partnership with FaZe and this limited-edition collection truly embodies and showcases the fusion of gaming and culture at the highest level.”
FaZe Clan’s brand value post-acquisition proposal
This deal is the first major product launch from FaZe following GameSquare’s proposed acquisition of the esports and lifestyle brand. The all-stock deal is worth about $17 million, reflecting the brand’s struggle to reach profitability and maintain its brand value. This is a steep 97% markdown from the organization’s $725 million valuation when it when public via a SPAC merger in July 2022.
This is the first time FaZe Clan is selling co-branded peripherals in stores. Additionally, it is the only esports organization that still sells co-branded products on BestBuy.com in the U.S.. Perhaps most notably, Fnatic Gear, which is owned and operated by esports organization Fnatic, is no longer available through BestBuy.
This is a major change for the retailer that speaks to the challenges facing the esports industry. If FaZe is the most lucrative esports brand to sell in Best Buy, other teams could have trouble living up to their own valuations.
Under the proposed agreement, GameSquare will add FaZe Clan to its subsidiaries, but the company will operate as an independent division. GameSquare’s portfolio includes ad and marketing agencies, data analytics services, a content production studio, merchandise production and more.
Notably, FaZe would join Complexity Esports as a subsidiary of GameSquare. FaZe is the more high-profile brand, but Complexity is also a major team with a 20-year legacy in esports.
It’s not clear if GameSquare will reorganize these brands to address their overlapping operations. FaZe Clan and Complexity both operate teams in Apex Legends, Counter-Strike, FIFA/EA Sports FC, Halo: Infinite and Rocket League. If these teams face off in the future, it could create concerns around competitive integrity. Similarly, Complexity is sponsored by Lenovo, which makes gaming PCs and peripherals. It’s not clear how this will impact future renewals of deals like FaZe’s partnership with SteelSeries, which manufactures products that compete with Lenovo.
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