From Insight to Innovation: ROG’s Design Thinking Approach to Gaming

As ROG celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026, now is a good moment to reflect on two decades of relentless innovation for gamers. I would also like to look forward and consider how design thinking will continue to shape the future of gaming. 

In designing gaming gear, from the first ROG Crosshair motherboard to the first ROG Zephyrus laptops, ROG has always focused on clearly understanding the player in order to build technology that empowers them. This player-first philosophy naturally informs our approach to design thinking. By prioritizing the player when reaching for innovation, we ensure that each design decision―from performance and ergonomics to aesthetics and usability―aligns with real-world gaming needs and preferences.

Empathy in Design

Empathy is the heart of our ASUS design thinking philosophy. Behind every click, combo, and high score is a person with unique habits, goals, and challenges. Great technology alone isn’t enough—products must connect with real people and their experiences. 

To discover what truly matters to players, we immerse ourselves in their worlds: observing, listening, and learning. Whether someone is competing in an esports arena, streaming for thousands, or gaming casually during a commute, we strive to understand the player’s perspective in each scenario. This unique approach—along with the fact that ROG engineers are themselves gamers—enables us to create experiences that feel personal, intuitive, and powerful.

We use a variety of research methods to connect deeply with players:

• Field observations: Seeing gamers in their natural environments - from home setupsⁱ to esports arenas - helps us understand habits and challenges that numbers alone cannot capture.
• In-depth interviews: Conversations with players reveal motivations, frustrations, and unmet needs.
• Online surveys: Scalable feedback helps identify trends, preferences, and patterns across global communities.
• Global product testing: Hands-on experience ensures our devices perform reliably across diverse environments and scenarios.

We also tailor our research to different gamer types:

• Professional esports players: Long-term collaboration with esports teams helps us understand advanced needs, such as high-performance hardware, cooling efficiency, and precise keyboard responsiveness.
• Content creators and streamers: We focus on display quality, multitasking performance, and convenient media output to enhance workflows.
• Casual gamers: Studying experiences across home setups, commutes, and weekend tripsii allows us to balance performance with portability for everyday play.

Turning Pain Points into Innovation: The ROG Zephyrus 

A perfect example of our design thinking process can be seen in the development of the 2025 +. During our research, players highlighted issues such as chassis flex, resonance, and keyboard hot spots. Using design thinking, we tackled these challenges using a deliberate, multistep process:

• Empathize: Players reported chassis flex, resonance, and hot spots; telemetry and forums confirmed these pain points.
• Define: KPIs were set, including +50% rigidity, keyboard hot spots ≤40°C, and reduced acoustic distortion.
• Ideate: Prototypes compared thickened stamped aluminum with CNC-machined aluminum ingot; the latter achieved minimal deformation, better acoustics, and improved heat dissipation.
• Testing: Three-point bending, anechoic chamber, thermal matrix tests, and player blind tests were conducted. Satisfaction increased by 78 percent, with new benchmarks achieved for performance, rigidity, heat management, and tactile experience.

Ergonomics and Extended Play

Ergonomics is a cornerstone of ROG’s design thinking process, especially for devices used in long gaming sessions. Beyond comfort, there are the goals of optimized performance and fatigue prevention―which are important considerations for professional esports athletes and everyday gamers.

A key part of this approach is hand-shape development, created in close collaboation with professional players. Their insights allow us to craft mice that feel like a natural extension of the hand, combining comfort with performance. We design for different gaming needs, including:

• Competitive Hand-Shapes: Focused on precision, speed, and control. Features include grip stability, rapid movements, and optimal button access for peak performance during intense gameplay.
• Universal Hand-Shapes: Optimized for long-term comfort and extended play. These shapes reduce fatigue, support a wide range of hand sizes and grip styles, and balance comfort with performance.

Innovation and Feasibility: Lessons from the Flow Z13

At ROG, innovation isn’t just about bold ideas—it’s about making them work in the real world. The ROG Flow Z13 exemplifies this approach, packing high-performance components into an ultra-portable chassis with a double-sided motherboard. 

However, while the unique design of the Flow Z13 solved space constraints, departing from the original one-sided motherboard design created challenges. The ASUS Design Center (ADC) and ROG engineers turned this design challenge into a feature—employing a transparent glass window to showcase the intricate internal layout. Achieving this required rethinking component placement, optimizing thermal management, and developing new manufacturing techniques.

The Flow Z13 exemplifies the power of design thinking in action. By embracing technical challenges, the R&D team transformed potential drawbacks into features that deliver both peak performance and striking design, proving that innovation and feasibility can thrive together.

Designing for Diverse Lifestyles

Modern gamers are multifaceted—creators by day, mobile professionals, parents, or streamers by night. ROG designs products that adapt to the diverse needs and preferences of users everywhere by creating modular, scenario-based solutions that ensure performance, comfort, and usability across a wide spectrum of gaming lifestyles.

• Strix series: Designed for gamers who want to express their individuality, the Strix series features vibrant, customizable RGB lighting and bold aesthetics. Beyond style, Strix devices offer versatile performance for both casual and competitive play, making them ideal for gamers who want both flair and functionality.

• Flow series: Lightweight, touch-enabled laptops that balance portability and power, the Flow series supports optional external GPUs for those who need extra performance on the go, while offering a flexible, multi-scenario experience—from creative work to immersive gaming—without sacrificing mobility or usability.
• Zephyrus series: High-performance laptops with a minimalist, professional design that’s perfect for gamers who also use their devices for work or creative projects. The Zephyrus series balances raw gaming power with a sleek, understated aesthetic, allowing players to transition seamlessly between high-demand gaming sessions and professional environments.
• ROG Ally: A handheld gaming device designed for constant, on-the-go play, the ROG Ally is ideal for gamers who want to take full PC gaming on the go. Its special anti-slip, sweat-resistant grips deliver stability, tactile comfort, and control during intense gameplay.

The Future of Gaming

The future of gaming will be more cross-platform, immersive, and personalized. ROG is preparing for this future by focusing on three key areas:

• AI-powered personalized experiences: From graphics enhancement to personalized streaming content, AI integration allows devices like Armoury Crate to learn player habits and deliver smarter experiences.
• Modular design for evolving ecosystems: Going forward, more ROG devices will support external GPUs, controllers, and displays, enabling players to build flexible, customized setups.
• Expanding form factors for next-generation habits: More than ever, new laptops, handhelds, tablets, and versatile accessories will allow gamers to create, stay connected, and play anywhere.

20 Years of Gaming Prowess…and Ready for What’s Next

By listening to, observing, and collaborating with gamers for the past two decades, ROG has created unique experiences that empower gamers. A commitment to design thinking has ensured that every ROG product—laptop, handheld, or peripheral—is crafted to exceed expectations while staying rooted in the needs of players. As ROG moves forward, empathy, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of performance will continue to shape what we do―all to enhance the experiences of gamers everywhere.

 ⁱ In-home setup observation is performed with consent. 

 ⁱⁱ Relevant studies are performed with consent from participants.