The gaming mouse borne from a collaboration between popular streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins (yes, the same one who blurted out the N-word during a Fortnite stream some time ago) and peripheral manufacturer Finalmouse is out in the wild—and people aren’t very impressed. It kind of looks like a Croc.
Air58 Ninja
— Finalmouse (@finalmouse) December 1, 2018
With Handmade Haiku Scrolls
Air and Art. Beautiful, like an ocean breeze flowing under your hand.
58 grams, should we say more? Words can’t explain, must experience. It feels like air, in your hand. It makes the Ultralight feel heavy. It is the Air58. pic.twitter.com/CzSxW027Xu
The Finalmouse Air 58 Ninja comes in two colors: Cherry Blossom Red and Cherry Blossom Blue. It’s marketed as an extremely light mouse, “like air,” the company attests, with “hand-painted and engraved individualized haiku scrolls on every mouse.”
“Some rare, some more common, your Haiku is unique to you. Find them all to uncover the treasure. The path will take you out into nature,” reads the product description.
At this point, we’d like to remind everyone that the 27-year-old professional gamer and Twitch streamer is from Grayslake, Illinois, and not, in fact, Japan. He’s not an actual ninja of course, or some sort of mystical fighter for the powers of good like the animation makes him out to be—no matter how much he wants to hype up the Japanese kanji on the mouse’s scroll wheel, which is all clearly part of the product’s marketing machine.
In the days leading up to the much-hyped mouse reveal, both Ninja and Finalmouse took to Twitter to drop some truly cringe-worthy tweets, teasing pop-up shops with confusing poetry.
“Valley of the Air” – Based on a true story.
— Ninja (@Ninja) November 27, 2018
This is the story of how @Finalmouse and I discovered the truth and finally bridged two worlds.
I’ll see you guys at the popup shop in LA December 1st where I’ll reveal the magic.
Eventbrite registration https://t.co/j5CdduoFKW pic.twitter.com/RGxJUNJ3c9
You can’t make this stuff up.
You thought this was still about mice? This is our time. The next century is our time.
— Finalmouse (@finalmouse) November 27, 2018
If we revealed the product now the drop would get too crazy. Not joking.
— Finalmouse (@finalmouse) November 25, 2018
On this beautiful walk thinking about how you guys are going to be blown away by the utter sexuality of this new drop. You really think we aren’t gonna live up to the hype ? We shift the universe through love. pic.twitter.com/t4R144dGry
— Finalmouse (@finalmouse) November 20, 2018
And as previously stated, fans aren’t really feeling the Air58 Ninja. Yes, it’s sold out, but it looks like the public reception for the mouse isn’t great, with many disliking it via Twitter: “It’s a recolored version of all your other mice,” one user wrote.
https://twitter.com/THump11th/status/1068969961882820610
Cant wait to order this bad boy!! pic.twitter.com/K8uCNDrIaW
— Jared (@MugenFPS) December 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/AzakiusUK/status/1068971083901140994
Fans are also frustrated with the company’s previous claims that the product wasn’t “branded” and was “beyond branding.” The final product reads: “Ninja,” and is branded.
“This is going to be a museum piece,” the company proclaimed of the then-upcoming mouse.
really ? pic.twitter.com/I5iXO3YfSD
— Team Plague (@TeamPlagueX) December 1, 2018
So it is branded….
— RoseyGG on Mixer (@RoseyGGttv) December 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/ulwainV/status/1068967589278175232
https://twitter.com/SweetSalGames/status/1068971080205955072
‘It won’t be ninja branded’ OMEGALUL
— Recklol (@TheOneReck) December 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/blucasts/status/1068968165558898688
there’s no doubt it’s a nice mouse but i’m quite disappointed. From claims that this specifically wouldn’t be branded, and even implementing “sexuality” into your tweets. This was overhype and yes, of course you want to sell a product, but you also want to satisfy your fanbase.
— Tiger (@TigerCFilms) December 1, 2018
The same without Ninja branding would have been impressive.
— Sardoche (@Sardoche_Lol) December 1, 2018
Sticking to Logitech hero sensor anyway.
Hf with kids money.
Fans also state that the mouse was hyped up to be cordless, but very clearly includes one.
wait you teased it with no cord and stated it would have no branding on it
— Liquid Mendo (@Mendo) December 1, 2018
As far as recoloring claims go, at a glance, the mouse appears to be much the same as the other products Finalmouse sells, with added text on the right mouse button. It’s also $20 more expensive than the Ultralight Pro Black and White models, but the same price as the brand’s Ultralight Phantom and Ultralight Sunset.
Finalmouse attests that “everything was redesigned with the ground up, but still with the classic shape of the Phantom and ULP” with a “new bottom chassis, new lattice geometry on the sides (that also adds grip), new PCB, new internal frame…the list goes on.”
Whether you love it or hate it, the mouse is sold out.
