Forget gamer gloves, gamer sneakers are the next athlete apparel to hit the esports clothing scene, with K-Swiss announcing a brand new partnership with pro-team, Immortals, to launch their own sneaker. This is just the beginning though, K-Swiss is also collaborating with Immortals to design a shoe to combat a problem not often talked about among pro gamers: Their feet get very hot.
“Esports is the new frontier of sports and entertainment, and this is another way for K-Swiss to contribute to culture in a progressive and modern way,” Barney Waters, K-Swiss’ brand president, said in a statement.
The K-Swiss Immortals shoe is based on the “Kombass” design and is said to operate more like a sock than a shoe. It features a mesh design with a “TPU cage,” and leverages a brand new “dual density technology,” to provide better cushioning for the wearer’s feet.
That shoe is expected to go on sale in December with a suggested price tag of $110.
As intriguing as that news is though, what’s potentially even more enticing is that K-Swiss is said to be developing a performance-enhancing shoe for gamers. While feet aren’t the usual limbs associated with professional gaming, according to the K-Swiss release, there is potential for a gamer shoe that may improve the ability for gamers to operate at peak condition. Not by making them more connected, but by helping to cool their feet.
“Like any professional athlete, esports competitors look for any advantage they can use against their opponents,” Noah Whinston, CEO of the Immortals, said in a statement. “By wearing a uniquely designed shoe specifically created for our esports players with their input, they know that they have an immediate advantage — both physically and psychologically.”
K-Swiss designers will be spending time at the Immortals gaming house over the coming months in order to analyze their play styles and behavior closely. Specifically, though, they will be looking at the “performance needs” of those gamers, including, “the rising temperature in a shoe.” Shoe movement during competitive play will also be important, we’re told.
This will represent the beginning of a partnership between Immortals and K-Swiss which will see the design process documented and recorded, as well as other, new performance apparel for esports players and fans designed. Considering how important merchandising is becoming in pro gaming, that is not surprising.
The new performance-orientated sneakers are said to be in the works for an early 2019 debut. The real question now though, is whether this kind of performance-enhancing gear will be allowed in sanctioned competition.
