Last year, Razer co-founder and CEO Tan Min-Liang posted an April Fool’s joke on his Facebook page: “Given that I’ve created the entire gaming peripherals industry, reinvented the gaming laptop industry, kickstarted the entire gaming phone category and steadfastly refused to create the gaming kitchen appliance industry... I believe my time here is almost done. Am taking applications today April 1 for all those interested to be the next Razer CEO.”
It was a typical move from the famously cheeky Tan, an avid gamer who set his career as a lawyer aside (and didn’t tell his parents for a while) when he decided to start Razer in 2005 with his American online gaming pal Robert Krakoff. Other recent headline-grabbing exploits include a 2017 tweet addressed to Singapore’s prime minister that declared Razer could get a nationwide digital payment system rolled out within 18 months; and a 2019 announcement that he was committing $10 million in funding for gaming and esports activities in Singapore, in part to troll a newspaper forum letter writer who felt that esports, or competitive gaming, was not a sport.
Tan can back up his bravado. Starting with a highly responsive gaming mouse, Razer did spawn a whole new industry of gaming equipment that offered gamers faster-processing power, lusher graphics and juicier audio— all coveted qualities not just for more immersive gaming experiences but, as even casual Candy Crush players can surmise, also ones that give players a winning edge as they try to level up in the virtual universe of their choice. Along the way, Razer’s triple-headed snake logo became so celebrated among gamers that some tattooed it onto their bodies.
This story is from the July 2020 edition of Tatler Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2020 edition of Tatler Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
How To Live Like A Royal In The British Countryside
From Windsor to Bray, all it takes is a speedy jaunt away from the hustle and bustle of London to gain first-hand insights into the lives of the British royal family
Where Science Meets Skincare
Through years of research, Chanel has determined the relationship between skin health and well‑being based on neuroscience technologies—and it has the products to prove it
Powder, Peaks And Pro Tips
Embark on a winter wonderland getaway with this Tatler guide to all things ski, from the best destinations in Asia and Europe to looking chic on the slopes
HAUTE SPOTS
Nearly 15 years since her first visit to Niseko, Grace Chong-Tan’s love for this popular ski town in Hokkaido, Japan, continues to grow over the years. The founder and managing director of a dental practice shares her must-visit list
THE GOLDEN AGE
At the launch of the L'Or de Jean Martell collection in Cognac, France, Martell's cellar master Christophe Valtaud unveils the first limited-edition expression of the Réserve du Château series
KINGDOM REIGN
How UAE's largest property developer Aldar is transforming Abu Dhabi into a land of real estate gold for the investment-seeking jetsetter elite
LET'S GET (META) PHYSICAL
Contrary to popular belief, the traditional practices of feng shui and ba zi are not only alive and well, but thriving among the younger set. Today's masters of Chinese metaphysics share how they are modernising the craft
COMING OF AGE
Meet the ladies at the front and centre of last year’s Le Bal des Débutantes
The Path to Parity
Four prominent Singapore female leaders shed light on the under-representation of Asian women in global leadership through the lens of their own struggles and triumphs
Set in Stone
Tatler chats with Victoria Reynolds, the chief gemologist and vice president of Tiffany & Co, about the intricacies of design, her favourite jewellery and what it means to be a female leader in a male-dominated industry