Razer, known mainly for gaming laptops and peripherals, expanded its ecosystem today with the launch of Razer Game Store, an online game distribution platform. Razer Game Store will compete with Steam and Amazon, but wants to grab the attention of gamers with perks like the chance to earn more credits in Razer’s zSilver loyalty program, plus exclusive discounts on games and Razer hardware.
Razer Game Store is available worldwide, with localized content, payment methods and customer support for the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and France. Other countries get access through a global storefront. Games come from Razer’s partners (which include developers Ubisoft, Bethesda, Bandai Namco, Deep Silver and Rockstar) and, like titles purchased through other online stores such as Amazon, Green Man Gaming or Humble Bundle, are delivered via Steam or Uplay product keys.
In the company’s announcement, Razer co-founder and chief executive officer Min-Liang Tan said “As gamers, we know the importance of a good deal and the Razer Game Store delivers that to everyone. We have been delighting gamers with our high-performing peripherals, laptops and software, and we’re now also able to provide the content itself that fuels their passion.”
Launched in 2005 to build gaming peripherals like mice and keyboards, Razer was backed by investors including Horizons Ventures, Accel Partners and Intel Capital before raising $529 million in its debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange last November. The company’s other recent products include the gaming-focused Razer Phone, launched after it acquired smartphone maker Nextbit.