Razer’s new Pokémon collab is not very effective

In a year with so many good brand collabs, this one doesn’t stand out.

by Cameron Faulkner

Jul 17, 2025, 7:20 PM UTC

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Image: Razer

Cameron Faulkner is an editor covering deals and gaming hardware. He joined in 2018, and after a two-year stint at Polygon, he rejoined The Verge in May 2025.

Razer’s new Pokémon collaboration is a missed opportunity. The four PC gaming peripherals in this lineup are simply reskinned versions of products that already exist, and which cost $20 to $40 more than their all-black counterparts. You really should be getting more for your money here.

For example, the themed BlackWidow V4 X keyboard should include at least one highly detailed custom keycap (switching out Alt for pokéball designs doesn’t cut it). Maybe the Kraken V4 X headset could have included themed pop filters of pokémon silhouettes. I’m just spitballing, which I guess is something that neither Razer nor The Pokémon Company did enough of during this collaboration.

1/3Image: Razer

You might be totally happy with how these Razer products look, in which case you can buy them at Best Buy, at Amazon, or from Razer itself. But I know a good collaboration when I see one. MSI’s Toy Story-branded gaming PC components are the kind of high-effort work that I expect to see when a major entertainment brand gets involved. SimCity 2000 Uniqlo T-shirts? Hell yes. A lovingly crafted Final Fantasy-themed Magic: The Gathering set? Say no more. Razer’s Hello Kitty collaboration from 2022 had more pizzazz than its latest. For a franchise with as much personality as Pokémon, wishing for something a little more inspired than reskinned products isn’t asking too much.