Formify/Hubs
As of 2022, the worldwide esports market is estimated to be worth well over 1 billion USD, with hundreds of gamers across the planet. Looking to the future, one start-up decided to take advantage of an opportunity with 3D printing that could potentially change the game for pro players and casual gamers alike.
Partnering with 3D printing company Hubs, Canadian start-up Formify were able to develop and manufacture a custom-fitting and lightweight ergonomic gaming mouse, designed to help enhance player comfort and control.
Alex Cappy, CEO of Hubs, said: “Gaming is an enormous market that’s intrinsically tied to consumer electronics manufacturing. However, personalised design is still not an essential part of manufacturing for gaming. This presented an opportunity to the Formify team to bring unique, custom products to an industry solely in need of such hardware innovation.”
“Our wide range of 3D printing technologies allowed Formify to swiftly prototype and perfect its design, while our extensive MJF (Multi Jet Fusion) capacity supports the start-up’s ability to scale and produce large quantities of personalised products.”
Formify is set to formally launch in November. The idea began when founder Will MacLaughlin, along with his peers at university, discovered what they believed to be a significant gap in gaming and esports. Peripherals like mice and VR headsets were one-size-fits-all.
“By comparison, in every other industry, you have different sizes of pads and shoes,” said MacLaughlin. “It’s ridiculous that there is only a one-size fits all mouse for esports. If you tried to play a game on a million-dollar stage, which a lot of people are doing now, it just doesn’t make sense for everyone to use the same mouse.”
Formify’s idea to address this was to develop a software platform that could transform a photograph of a hand into a form-fitting mouse design. The concept works by submitting a picture of a hand, which allows the team to analyse the shape, bone structure and joint structure in order to produce a comfortable product that provides maximum speed.
After testing of different 3D printing methods, the Formify team settled on Multi Jet Fusion.
MacLaughlin said: “MJF was the only technology that could achieve the fully-customisable shapes we were looking for.”
Alongside Hubs, Formify was able to manufacture 15 MJF-printed beta products and send them to professional gaming influencers on YouTube and Twitch. The company is set for a Kickstarter launch later this year, with the hope of scaling up to offer personalised mice to both casual and professional gamers, and offices looking for ergonomic peripherals.
According to Formify, MJF was an essential part of the company’s story. It allowed them to produce complex geometries and create a product that could weight as little as 55 grams without sacrificing strength.
Formify is currently in the process of getting its products out to YouTubers and Twitch streamers. In the future it aims to create other types of personalised products, such as virtual reality headsets, and venture further into office ergonomics and medical athletics.
