Introduction

Tesoro Technology, based in New Taipei, is one of the rare few entrants into the highly competitive and nearly saturated gaming peripherals industry that isn't a subsidiary of a larger and more diverse computer hardware brand. The company found its spot on the map with the smash-hit Tesoro Durandal mechanical keyboard, which won critical acclaim and market success for its design, build-quality, ergonomics, and performance under pressure.

Tesoro was in no mood to become a one-hit wonder and worked on a large selection of keyboards, mice, headsets, and mousepads. The company is known for naming its products after mythological weapons from cultures around the world. Behind these names are products that look unique and back their form with function.

We prepared a short questionnaire for Tesoro on its current lineup and its various immediate plans. We spoke with Lucas Wiltse, Global Marketing Director at Tesoro Technology.

Hello Lucas, could you please tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Lucas Wiltse and I am the Global Marketing Director at Tesoro Technology. I work at the headquarters in Taiwan and handle global marketing plans, product marketing, and strategic partnerships. I collaborate with all departments, including sales and product management. I grew up in small town Minnesota and studied at Minnesota State University before moving to Taiwan where I completed my MBA and began working in the IT industry.

Tesoro Today

Could you tell us a little bit about Tesoro the company and what it's about, beginning with the company name itself?
The company's name itself translates to treasure in Spanish, and as a company, we are simply all about bringing the best possible products to our users. Our strengths lie in our dedication to unique designs and meticulous engineering, which allows us to offer gaming peripherals that can be treasured by all.

Could you describe the brand a little more in light of the recent changes made to it, how it stands out, and what you guys hope to accomplish?
Previously, Tesoro based a lot of its imagery and its product naming on mythology and the utilization of bright colors and effects. We have begun to change directions with the brand's image and are moving toward a more refined, premium look that better suites the high-quality product we produce. We plan to have a balanced approach that embodies the gaming/esports community as well as the casual user of gaming products.


The Durandal was a stand-out keyboard that brought you into the scene. How are you trying to repeat its success, and how do your products stand out from the competition?
We are constantly looking for ways to develop cutting-edge innovations and improve the gaming experience. When bringing a product on to the scene, we take all things into account in order to offer the best performance. With the recent release of the GRAM Spectrum mechanical keyboard, we launched the Tesoro Agile key switch, the first key switch designed by Tesoro. The Agile switches offer an optimized low-profile design and are unique in that they do not compromise the tactile feel, which many low-profile keyboards do. These are offered in both black and white, which has proven to be a delight for many of our users.

The Product Stack

Could you walk us through the development of a typical Tesoro product, from its conception to market release?
As it goes with most products, it's all about finding what people are missing. At events, in forums, or just sitting around with other gamers, you hear things like "I wish I had something that did this or had that." These ideas could come from anyone in the company or the community, and we take all of them seriously. You do get some ideas that come out of left field, such as levitating gaming chairs or mind-reading keyboards, but no idea is immediately dismissed.

From conception, we move towards making the prototypes that get poked and prodded to see what they got. Not all of these prototypes make the cut if they don't materialize the way we imagined or just don't bring something unique to the table.

If the products do make it past this stage, we send them out to professionals and gamers to provide us with their thoughts. If all signs point to a product that fits the needs of consumers, we move on to production.



You don't just make good keyboards, but also mice and headsets. Could you briefly walk us through your lineup, and, if possible, what kinds of hardware the company is currently designing? Will we see more Tesoro-branded products soon?
Gaming products have evolved immensely over the last decade and many gamers need very specialized products to fit their needs and we try to offer something for everyone. For keyboards, we have a large range, from full-sized boards with metal casings to sleek TNKY boards. The same goes for our mice and headset lineups where we have specialized products for every niche.

In terms of new hardware, we recently introduced our infrared technology with the Tesoro IR switches at Computex 2016. I love the spill-proof nature of these because I always have a cup of coffee or another drink next to me while on my computer. We should have these available on keyboards sometime this summer.

As for other Tesoro-branded products, we have passed the prototype stage with our new gaming chairs. I snipped one of these for myself in the office, and I'm not letting it go. These should be available sometime during the summer as well.