Glorious PC Gaming Race, the maker of the Model O gaming mouse, the GMMK Pro mechanical keyboard and other popular peripherals, is changing its name. In rebranding as Glorious, the company is hoping to leave behind a name tinged with racial overtones.
The company was formed in 2014. Its original name was a spin on the term "the Glorious PC Gaming Master Race." Game reviewer Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of Zero Punctuation fame sarcastically coined the expression to poke fun at the elitist attitude held by some PC gamers that their platform of choice was superior to consoles. However, some gamers embraced the term despite the phrase "master race" having roots in Nazi ideology.
“While we remain committed to serving PC gamers and not taking ourselves too seriously, we have also grown and matured significantly as a brand.” Shazim Mohammad, the founder and CEO of Glorious said in a statement. “When I started this company I never could have imagined we’d be where we are today. This new brand identity is more inclusive, accessible and representative of who we’ve become and the direction we’re going long into the future.”
Glorious, which said its new name "inspires positivity," will start updating its branding in the coming weeks. It will introduce a fresh logo and relaunch its online store with a different, to-be-revealed URL. Its upcoming products will bear the new branding, as will the existing product lineup. However, Glorious said completing the transition with its current peripherals will be a multiyear process.