Recent rumors suggesting that Lenovo is discontinuing its Legion line of gaming smartphones have now been confirmed. A statement from the company validates its decision to exit the gaming phone market.
Lenovo’s Shift in Focus
A spokesperson for Lenovo stated, “Lenovo is discontinuing its Android-based Legion mobile gaming phones as part of a wider business transformation and gaming portfolio consolidation. As a leader in gaming devices and solutions, Lenovo is committed to advancing the gaming category across form factors, as well as focusing on where it can bring the most value to the global gaming community.”
Challenges in the Gaming Smartphone Market
This decision comes as no surprise, given Lenovo’s relatively small market share in the smartphone industry. Gaming phones are expensive to produce, as they require top-of-the-line hardware and unique features, such as RGB lighting or cooling fans, to cater to a demanding audience. These devices, typically targeting a niche market of smartphone gamers, are often housed in high-quality chassis and sold at razor-thin profit margins, particularly by Chinese manufacturers. As a result, managing such a business is challenging, and the potential profits arLenovo to focus on other gaming devices and solutions as gaming smartphone market remains challenginge likely lower than those from traditional smartphone sales.
Remaining Players in the Gaming Phone Market
With Lenovo’s departure, only a few companies remain committed to producing gaming smartphones. ASUS is the current leader in this submarket, with the upcoming release of its ROG Phone 7 scheduled for April 13. Xiaomi is another contender, though its Black Shark line of gaming phones appears to be facing obstacles as well.
