According to their official website, Razer is “the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers.” Since 2005, the company has designed and built the world’s largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software, and services. If you read their copy, it basically sounds like they’re two steps away from building an IRL OASIS a la Ready Player One.
Razer launched two new products last week: the Razer Seiren X portable microphone and the Razer Kiyo webcam, which comes with a selfie light. Both gadgets target streamers — people who live stream their video game play and other types of content on spaces like Twitch.tv, a site that reports 15 million active users a day.
According to The Verge, these products are Razer’s latest attempt to become a popular choice for microphones and webcams within the streamer community.
Here’s their description of the Kiyo:
The Razer Kiyo webcam comes with an adjustable ring light with twelve white LEDs, which you can control to twelve levels of brightness. It has a four-megapixel camera that can record up to 1080p at 30 fps or 720p at 60 fps, and it’s compatible with popular streaming tools XSplit and Open Broadcaster Software. The Kiyo comes with a 1.5 meter braided cable terminating in a USB 2.0 connection. It’ll sell for $99.99.
Here’s their description of the Seiren X:
Razer’s newest attempt at breaking into the microphone market for streamers is the Razer Seiren X, a USB microphone that’s mechanically fastened to dampen vibrations. It has a removable desk stand and zero latency monitoring to remove audio lag. The Seiren costs $99.99.
From what I can tell, people who generally seek out Razer products and services are experienced gamers and streamers. Or, they’re at least somewhat plugged in to the community. Perhaps this is not generally thought of as the selfie light market?
But given the massive popularity of some Twitch users – think YouTube celebrities, just live – it actually only makes sense that a streamer looking to capitalize on one of the site’s may monetization options would want to be visible to their viewers.
According to The Verge, both the Kiyo and the Seiren X face an uphill battle for adoption. A lot of Razer’s older streaming equipment doesn’t have the best reputation for quality, and many gamers prefer other microphone brands. But I see some other, more emergent issues
To me, these launches seem to be an effort to reach new consumers with recognizable products that connect with current cultural trends – especially the selfie light cam, which sounds very “insta model.” Because if people think watching badass video game play is the only reason people are tuning into these lives streams, well, that’s just not very realistic.
So though sites like Twitch have very clear Terms of Service that prohibit adult content, there are also plenty of ways people can use this type of site to expand their brand and make money. According to Twitch, everything from showcasing fan art and cosplay to vlogging and social eating are becoming popular in their space — and all those things definitely need a good selfie light.
So, if you have the skills or a creative idea, why not jump on in?
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According to lifewire, there are seven key ways to make money as a streamer on Twitch. Some of these options are limited to users who have reached a certain level of popularity, but there are still ways for newer users who may not yet have a huge following to participate. They include:
- Twitch Subscriptions
- Bits (Twitch’s premium emoticons)
- Donations
- Video Ads
- Sponsorships
- Affiliate Links
- Selling Merchandise
#justsayin
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Erika is a sex positive people watcher (and writer). Email her at erika@ynotcam.com.
Lead image © Lorenzo Cafaro.
