Sharon Harding
Corsair is acquiring Drop, the companies announced today. Corsair is already the parent company of other gaming peripherals and PC brands it has previously acquired, including Elgato and Origin PC. The latest addition adds a brand known among mechanical keyboard builders to the company’s catalog.
Drop used to be called Massdrop and was founded in 2011. It is based in California (as is its future parent company) and its bread and butter has traditionally been DIY parts for mechanical keyboards, including bare-bones kits and premium keycaps. However, the company’s offerings have expanded to include pre-built mechanical keyboards, including some high-end, extremely expensive ones. The company also sells more mainstream-friendly keyboard parts, such as Lord of the Rings ready-made keyboards and keycaps and other PC peripherals, such as headphones and desk mats. In addition to Drop products, the site also sells other products from enthusiast brands.
Today we learned that Corsair has reached an agreement to buy Drop, but is not aware of the terms of the “non-material, all-cash transactions”. Once the deal closes, people will still be able to shop on Drop’s website, and Drop will become a separate brand within Corsair. For example, Drop warranties and customer support are still handled by Drop. However, Corsair “will be able to offer specialized Corsair and Elgato products to the enthusiast community Drop is engaged with,” Corsair CEO Andy Paul said in a statement. The parameters listed are similar to how brands Corsair has acquired—Elgato, Origin PC , and Scuf—operate.
A spokesperson for Drop Ars would not comment on future products or if Corsair’s ownership will push the company toward more off-the-shelf designs. However, the company representative noted that Drop has already expanded its pre-built keyboard selection and “continues to design and offer barebones platforms that the community can customize as they see fit”.
Keyboard customization on the Corsair side is currently making the most of RGB lighting and, if you’re lucky, swappable keycaps or hot-swappable switches. A Corsair spokesperson told Ars that the company will “explore broader opportunities for selling Drop products through Corsair’s global sales channel.” They also pointed to opportunities for “Drop to help Corsair offer keyboards with more customization options.”
The Drop acquisition isn’t the first sign we’ve seen of DIY keyboards getting more mainstream attention lately. With more people working from home, keyboard tactics and comfort gained more attention among employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some mainstream tech retailers have embraced the category lately. For example, Best Buy began selling barebones keyboard kits, keyboard tops, mechanical switches, and other Glorious mechanical keyboard parts earlier this year. And in recent years, we’ve seen companies that traditionally focused on off-the-shelf keyboards offer more customization options, such as spare keys or lubricating kits in the box or more hot-swappable switch options.
