With more and more people, universities, and groups embracing esports as more than just a hobby, meeting the need for increasingly sophisticated mobile, tabletop, and Internet-based gaming platforms is growing. Kordz recently showed how its Kordz PRO SlimCat Cat6 Network Cable and complementary PRO SlimCat Patch Cords are ideal solutions for esports at a recent Penny Arcade Expo (PAX).
Per a recent case study from Kordz, PWC predicts that the global video game market is projected to skyrocket to $321 billion by 2026. Advances in technology and growing consumer demand certainly contribute to the upward trajectory, further fueled by the role gaming played during the pandemic as a means of social connection.
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During the PAX Aus event in Melbourne, Australia in October 2023, the global developer of gaming components ASUS demonstrated a wide variety of gaming products and systems, including an esports stage and PC stations where visitors could engage in multi-player competition. “Our goal was to drive brand awareness and end user engagement,” said ASUS marketing specialist, Ross Adcock. This would require reliable, stable connections of high-performance routers and gaming stations; Kordz PRO SlimCat Cat6 Network Cable and complementary PRO SlimCat Patch Cords were chosen to deliver.
“Signal interference is pervasive at large, busy shows like PAX, so we knew connecting our PC gaming stations via Wi-Fi was out of the question,” explained Adcock. “Stable physical connections via Cat6 cabling were our only alternatives at a show of this size and caliber and we were fortunate enough to get our hands on PRO SlimCat Cable and PRO SlimCat Patch Cords from Kordz prior to our booth build.” Kordz PRO SlimCat Patch Cords come in a variety of different lengths, so ASUS had exactly what they needed to lay a neat, tidy, well-organized networking foundation.
ASUS technicians quickly picked up on key differences between Kordz SlimCat and other brands of Cat6 cables. “It was noticeably more flexible, so we could snake it in places that otherwise might have been difficult or impossible. The durability of the patch cords was unmistakable, as well,” said Adcock. The unique color-coding of the SlimCat cables was another defining feature. “We were able to assign a specific cable color to each area of our booth and group of equipment," Adcock continued. This would help the ASUS team quickly add to or relocate equipment on the network if need be. “The whole process of designing and deploying a solid, reliable network was seamless and set the groundwork for a very successful show,” Adcock said.
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The color coding of the Kordz PRO SlimCat Cable and PRO SlimCat Patch Cords also provides ASUS with simple network documentation, which they can follow for upcoming events. “We had such a good experience installing Kordz SlimCat cables, we plan we used them again for our exhibit at the South by Southwest (SXSW), Sydney, festival,” Adcock said.
The stability and reliability of the Kordz SlimCat connections translated into glitch-free demonstrations and immersive gaming sessions throughout the event. “Signal latency is a huge turn-off when gaming,” Adcock concluded, especially during intense, action-packed scenes. Robust and able to support lightning-quick 1Gbps signal transmission, the Kordz PRO SlimCat Cat6 Network Cable and PRO Series Patch Cords prevented this from ever happening, Adcock reports. “Our customers were engaged and impressed with our brands, and we discovered a new go-to networking system for our future trade shows.”
