Pro-gaming giant Fnatic is introducing eSports to CES
Founder Sam Mathews talks about the future of professional gaming.
Sam Mathews founded Fnatic about 13 years ago, when he was just 19. Today, Fnatic is a household name for eSports fans: It's one of the most successful and prolific professional gaming franchises in the world, regularly competing at the top tier in games like League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The brand has expanded past the games and into hardware, and Mathews showed up at CES this year to demo Fnatic's latest keyboards and mice, which are due to hit the market in the coming months.
The Clutch 2 and Flick 2 are updated versions of Fnatic's existing mice, while the Streak and Streak Mini are new mechanical keyboards. All of Fnatic's hardware is designed specifically for (and with) professional players, with features like rounded edges, built-in mic controls and an adjustable wrist rest to help combat injuries.
But Fnatic's presence at CES is about much more than new gear. More people than ever are watching eSports; its leagues are maturing and becoming more stable, and traditional sports teams are investing heavily in this space. The eSports industry combines hardware, software and a competitive, human element -- all things that make a lot of sense at CES. Fnatic isn't the last major eSports brand to show up at tech's biggest convention.
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