Taiwanese firm strives to ‘tank’ with Pinoy online gamers

Thermaltake, a Taiwan-based maker of computer chassis and power supply, wants to conquer the hearts of Pinoy online gamers.

In gaming parlance, the firm wants to “tank” with gaming enthusiasts by offering to the market its trademark computer peripherals ranging from headsets to controllers to keyboards. Tank means setting a strategic defense to win against opponents.

Thermaltake product development and marketing director Johnny Hsu admitted online gaming in the Philippines has not taken off amid the many Internet shops sprouting in small alleys attracting students on their way home from class.

The reason? The slow Internet in the country, Hsu told reporters during a press presentation of the firm’s business strategies in Taiwan last week.

He said this has stopped potential customers from purchasing Thermaltake’s gaming devices.

He also observed there were “not so many” professional gaming teams in the Philippines. Online gaming communities also don’t have that many Filipino players, he said.

He noted only one Filipino team is in the TT eSports community.

“I saw Razer’s … and most of their gamers come from Europe,” he said.

Hsu also admitted facing stiff competition from more popular brands such as Razer, SteelSeries and Logitech.

“We are a second-tier brand over there [Philippines],” Hsu admitted.

Despite these challenges, Judy Lee, Thermaltake’s integrated sales and marketing representative in charge of the Philippine market, said the gaming industry still has “a lot of potential” for growth in the country.

Of the $500,000 in total revenues generated from sales of Thermaltake products in the Philippines in 2015, about 5 to 10 percent came from the sales of gaming gears.

“It was a really good year… Sales have been increasing step by step. TT eSports is starting to get more and more popular,” she said.  The Taiwanese company, which started selling computer case coolers five years ago in the Philippines, only branched out to gaming peripherals three years thereafter, she added.

Lee said she was “confident” revenues from the gaming line would increase to 15 percent or more “soon” due to the company’s efforts to boost its product line.

Efforts include “sponsoring” a Filipino team, among other teams, in international online gaming competitions in the hopes its members would put in a good word for the company to other potential buyers, Hsu said.

Lee added TT eSports was also looking into making the firm’s presence felt in local Internet cafés by organizing online competitions that would promote the brand.

“If we can get into that that, that would be a stepping stone,” she said.