“Esports is a technology story”: Razer Global Esports Director Jeff Chau discusses the state of esports 

Esports has undergone significant changes since its first documented tournament in 1972, where players competed for a year’s subscription to Rolling Stone.

The scene has evolved from small-scale local tournaments to international ecosystems that feature the highest level of competitive gaming. 

Beyond the games themselves, esports has become a commercial powerhouse: attracting global brands while fostering new ones, pushing the boundaries of gaming technology, and elevating players into influential figures with massive online followings.

Founded in 1998, peripheral brand Razer has been at the forefront of esports, supporting athletes with hardware and growing alongside the scene as the industry has developed globally. 

Esports Insider sat down with Razer’s Director of Global Esports, Jeff Chau, to reflect on the state of the esports scene and discuss where the ecosystem is headed. 

During discussions with Razer’s Director of Global Esports, the role of technology and how it has shaped the esports industry was brought up. Moreover, these developments have become a key factor in Razer’s evolution over the years.

Now, more than ever, pro players fuss over the smallest details when it comes to the perfect set-up, from mouse accuracy for crucial headshots to keyboards designed for essential movement. Over the years, companies such as Logitech, Asus, and ZOWIE have been collaborating closely with top players in the scene to develop the next generation of peripherals. 

Razer recently launched the DeathAdder V4 Pro mouse, a product that stands out from previous iterations as a mouse made in collaboration with Counter-Strike pros. During talks with Esports Insider, Chau shared that it was important to work with athletes in the scene as the ‘game has changed a lot’ in the past decade. 

“I played Starcraft and it was like 120 to 150 gram mice if you remember, and everything was wired, right?” Stated Chau. “So now you have to go wireless, everything has to be lighter, and the battery has to last longer.

“That’s why the Deathadder V4 Pro that we just launched has a 150-hour battery life, which is an industry standard. It’s been cool to see this constant innovation and pushing for peak performance and peak tech into something as simple as a mouse. 

“But for esports pros, every millisecond matters. So that’s why we work with pros very closely, because they’re so attuned to these changes.” 

Chau further commented on how peripherals in esports have evolved as games have progressed, becoming more advanced over the years as professional players gravitate towards more sophisticated titles. 

In particular, mouse movements have changed with titles, from ‘horizontal’ isometric MOBAs like League of Legends to ‘vertical’ action shooters like VALORANT, forcing tech to ‘adapt’ as playstyles and demands change. 

Whether that be lighter mice with wireless functionality, or changing the size and material of mousepads, Razer is adamant that hardware has just as much of an impact on a player’s performance as balance patches within a game. 

“Esports itself is a technology story,” Chau said. “So as these games change, and new titles are introduced like VALORANT five years ago, or Fortnite, they constantly push us to follow what players are preferring based on these new types of games that are coming out.

”So that’s why the mice have gone lighter, the technology has gotten better, and we have to basically make the mice a lot more durable.”

Over the years, esports has helped to establish some of the most well-known online personalities in the influencer landscape. From active athletes such as Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut, to esports organisation founders like Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag, there’s no question that esports personalities have become a part of the cultural zeitgeist. 

Razer emphasised the importance of working with members of the scene through ‘persona product marketing’, partnering with organisations and players to sponsor events and launch exclusive product line-ups.

“Why does it matter?” Chau commented. “Because fans and people in the esports community look up to these players as GOATS or gods.

“Seeing a player like Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok (League of Legends) or Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovač (Counter-Strike 2) using our mice and winning is a marketing proof point.”

One of the most well-known active players is T1’s League of Legends icon Faker. The player was recently named ‘PC Player of the Decade’ at the Esports Awards and was welcomed as the first inductee of Riot Games’ Hall of Legends. Throughout it all, he has been involved in a long-standing partnership with Razer, and this year, the two parties celebrated the tenth anniversary of their collaboration.

On top of a livestream at Razer’s HQ in Singapore, a unique Viper V3 Pro Faker edition mouse was also released, which proved to be one of the company’s biggest product launches to date. 

“It was the most successful activation that we did at the Razor headquarters,” Chau added. “It was completely over capacity. And Faker had an amazing time. He got to interact with his fans in Singapore.

Esports has expanded far beyond the niche gaming circles it was once confined to, as more organisations and governments increasingly recognise it as a legitimate sport, career path and platform.

In 2025, the International Olympic Committee fully embraced esports into its ecosystem with the announcement of the Olympic Esports Games, confirmed for 2027. Though its decision to partner with the Esports World Cup Foundation, backed by Saudi Arabia’s government, has sparked criticism online for hosting the inaugural event in a country with controversial social policies.  

Another example is the Asian Games, where the Olympic Council of Asia officially recognised esports as a medal event in December 2020, which led to its implementation in the 2022 tournament. It recently announced the line-up of esports titles that will be featured in the 2026 Nachi-nagoya event. 

Talking with Esports Insider, Chau said: “I think the governments have played a huge role, you know, from China to Singapore, to a lot of countries. Some, like Korea, have made it an official profession. I think Germany recently announced that it’s like a non-profit activity. 

“In [South] Korea, if you compete in the Asian Games under esports, they actually exempt you from military service*. So the governments have actually elevated esports to a more professional capacity.

“Growing up, I never would have imagined that would be possible. So I think governments have played a role.” 

*If a South Korean player achieves a gold medal in an esports event at the Asian Games, they can be exempted from full military service as they are recognised for bringing national prestige. For example, Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok was exempted after winning in League of Legends at the 2022 Asian Games. 

After discussing the history of esports and its current state, conversations turned to the topic of where the esports scene is headed.

Razer’s Global Director of Esports highlighted how the company is ‘really focused’ on AI and the benefits it can bring to gamers and aspiring athletes. The company launched the AI Centre of Excellence in Singapore in August 2025, the first of three AI global hubs planned. 

Earlier this year, Razer introduced its AI coaching programme called Project AVA during the CES 2025 show. Similar to a personal assistant, Project AVA analyses and reviews a player’s skill during matches and provides post-match breakdowns for feedback. 

As new titles such as NetEase’s hero shooter Marvel Rivals gain traction and established games like League of Legends continue to expand with fresh content, Razer sees the next step for technology as helping new players navigate increasingly steep learning curves.

“Razer is really focused on AI and gaming” Chau shared.“We want to help gamers become better at their games. And that’s why we’re focusing on how AI can help players learn the game and play it better, when it comes to coaching and stuff like that. 

“The more players that become hardcore and enthusiast gamers, it’s good for Razer’s business, right?” 

When it comes to the future of the scene, Chau anticipates the industry growing in two ways, reflecting the stability and volatility of esports. 

Established titles like Counter-Strike will stand the test of time and continue to attract more interest. According to SteamDB, Valve’s tactical shooter has continued to rise in interest in the past decade, maintaining a steady active player base of 1m daily users. 

On the other hand, new games will emerge that could rival some of the most popular esports titles. Just a few months after launching in December 2024, NetEase established the Marvel Rivals Ignite esports scene, which featured a $3m (~£2.26m) total prize pool. While Marvel Rivals’ success in esports is up for debate, the game demonstrates how new scenes and interests will continue to appear in the future. 

When asked about where the esports scene is headed, Chau responded: “I think for esports to continue to grow is to just listen to what the market wants. Follow the market, follow the players, follow the fans, and then continue to support, grow, and amplify that.

“So there will be a game — maybe it’s mobile, or who knows what — that will catch the entire world by storm like League or VALORANT, and it’ll be the next big esports title.
“We want to support that and really help grow that esports title because certain games will no longer be as big as they used to be. We want to continue to listen to the market and support the games that have the biggest mass market appeal.”