Razer CEO talks big about Razer Phone innovation, mum on Razer Phone 3

Gaming hardware and peripheral company Razer made a big announcement today: the company is partnering with Chinese software giant Tencent (via TechCrunch). The Razer/Tencent collaboration will lead to more integration between Razer hardware and Tencent games and apps.

During a press event announcing the partnership, though, Razer CEO Min Liang Tan discussed another topic: the Razer Phone and Razer’s overall strategy when it comes to the smartphone industry.

Tan didn’t mince words when it comes to the Razer Phone: he thinks the phone defined an entire genre (the relatively-new gaming phone category) and boasted that Razer is unconcerned with competition from other companies, such as the Xiaomi Black Shark and the nubia REDMAGIC Mars.

Here’s what Tan had to say:

Nobody was talking about gaming smartphones [before the Razer Phone]. Without us doing that, the genre would still be perceived as casual gaming. Even from day one, it was about creating this new category… we don’t see others as competition.

Tan also said that the Razer Phone was never supposed to be an “iPhone-killer” (i.e. sell in large volumes).

However, despite Tan’s high praise for Razer’s line of mobile phones, he refused to discuss the Razer Phone 3. Speculation abounds that the follow-up to the well-received Razer Phone 2 is in dire straits, possibly even canceled entirely. Much of the mobile division at Razer was either laid off or moved to other departments, and the company slashed the Razer Phone 2’s price, suggesting a fire sale.

It’s tough to say whether Tan’s refusal to discuss the Razer Phone 3 is a sign of its demise or simply the usual secretive strategy companies have when working on new mobile products. One thing is for sure, though: the Razer Phone 2 is still on sale for only $500, which is an incredible deal for a great piece of hardware running Android 9 Pie. Click below to grab one before the sale ends.