In 2021, a particularly light gaming mouse wanted to impress in the TV show “The Lions’ Den”, but then the deal fell through. How is the product doing today?
What kind of mouse is that? In March 2021, the brothers Dominik and Patrick Schmalzried presented a special gaming mouse on the TV show “The Lions’ Den”: the Zaunkoenig M1K, which weighs 23 grams.
They presented their work as “the lightest gaming mouse in the world” and were able to convince two investors, Ralf Dümmel and Carsten Maschmeyer, of the product made from carbon fiber. The two lions invested €100,000 for 25% of the shares – but the deal with the investors never came about because a small detail was missing.
Why did the deal with investors fall through? The investors explained some time after the broadcast that the deal did not go through because there were some disagreements. Among other things, they mentioned the “pricing” of the mouse and the missing mouse wheel (via X.com).
A niche product with fans in the shooter scene
What is the situation with Zaunkoenig today? Zaunkoenig’s mice are still around and have developed into a niche product that has quite a few fans in the gaming community. The Zaunkoenig M1K featured in the TV show now even has a successor, the M2K, which even has a mouse wheel.
Although Zaunkoenig’s mice are still not designed for casual gamers, there are some shooter players in particular who swear by the small mouse and its low weight.
For example, the YouTuber “optimum” 2022 explained in a video:
When it comes to actual gaming, this thing feels great. In terms of aiming and general movement, this is actually the best mouse I’ve ever used. Aiming just felt very natural.
optimum via YouTube
optimum produces videos on the subject of hardware and technology, but also regularly shows in his videos that he definitely has an affinity for shooters and skills in games like Apex Legends. And while he praises the mouse, he’s clear that not everyone will have fun playing with it.
Due to its size and design, the Zaunkoenig is only suitable for players who grip their mouse with the fingertip grip. The mouse is rather unsuitable for palm grip and claw grip users. It also has no thumb buttons and is wired.
Zaunkoenig sells 444 mice in one day
What’s next for Zaunkoenig? The Zaunkoenig M2K will no longer be produced or sold. Instead, sales of the new M3K started in December, which costs €340.
A total of 444 units of the M3K were available, although according to the manufacturer they were sold out just one day later. These 444 units are now scheduled to be produced and shipped by June 2024.
The second production series M3K will then be offered in June 2024 after the first batch has been delivered (via Zaunkoenig).
Are there alternatives to Zaunkoenig? Yes, lightweight gaming mice are becoming increasingly popular – especially among shooter gamers. Accordingly, there are some mice that aim for a similarly low weight.
The direct competitor to the Zaunkoenig is probably the G-Wolves HSK in its various versions. Although it is a little heavier at just under 30 grams, it is also wireless and available at a significantly lower price and with thumb buttons.
MeinMMO editor Dariusz Müller is also still enthusiastic about his Lamzu Atlantis Mini. This weighs twice as much as a Zaunkoenig, but its shape is designed for claw grip players. It is therefore not a direct alternative to the Zaunkoenig, but an option for players who want a mouse that weighs less than 50 grams. You can read more about it here: My new gaming mouse only weighs as much as 2 Knoppers and costs €110 – Is it worth the money?