The Rival: Gaming Mouse from SteelSeries with Customizable 3D Printed Name Plate Now Available

The computer mouse of a gamer is quite a different beast from that of a casual computer user; the ergonomics are a key factor, as are the locations of buttons, the commands they send when pressed, and even just the ‘cool factor’ of looking, well, badass. What kind of gamer could properly slay his enemies in his MMORPG of choice using a swirly-designed, two-button wireless mouse? Clicking attack commands on that kind of mouse (incidentally, I just described my own mouse) does not exactly instill heroic e-courage into the heart of a gamer.

Thankfully, there’s a slew of products tailored just for the gaming community. SteelSeries, with world headquarters in Denmark, prides itself as being “the leading global innovator of gaming peripherals,” and for good reason. The company offers mice, headphones, keyboards, controllers, and many other products geared toward the tech-savvy gamer.

In October 2013, SteelSeries introduced their Rival Optical Gaming Mouse, featuring an ergonomic right-handed design, an advanced optical sensor, and even anti-sweat coating and rubber side grips to enhance the entire gaming experience from performance to feel. The mouse boasts a 30 million click lifespan, so it should last for a while. Since its release, it has also received positive reviews and a handful of awards.

SteelSeries’ CEO, Bruce Hawver, noted upon the Rival’s release that, “The new ergonomic shape and state of the art hardware deliver unmatched levels of precision, comfort and durability. Combining this level of hardware with new SteelSeries Engine 3 software, users will find an entirely new customization experience that redefines how a mouse can be configured.”

One key feature of the Rival is its customization capabilities. Sure, you can choose from 16.8 million color illumination options, or customized settings via SteelSeries’ Engine 3 software, but the big news for us is the 3D printed customizable back panel. Certainly, other gaming mice offer 3D printed, customizable components, but it’s always interesting to watch this technology adapt and spread in different ways.

In much the same way that a shiny brass nameplate on a desk or outside an office door can designate a President or CEO, marking a mouse with a name, gamer tag, or other chosen word can be to a gamer a clear distinction of ownership and pride of place. Working with Australia’s The 3D Printer, SteelSeries was offering 3D printed name plates for the Rival at PAX Australia, a huge gaming convention which ran from October 31-November 2 in Melbourne.

At SteelSeries’ booth, visitors could get a Rival with a customized 3D printed name plate. While those ordering the mouse online could get a part 3D printed from Shapeways whileat PAX Melbourne the part was made using a BEETHEFIRST from BeeVeryCreative.

The Rival mouse and its customization will surely catch the attention of many interested gamers eager to put their mark on both their games and their mice. What do you think? Would you want to customize your mouse? Discuss over at the steelseries forum on 3DPB.com.