{
  "id": 1095853,
  "title": "Exclusive: 'If we're going to do it half-assed, let's not do it at all' — Co-founder reveals how a Batman chair changed Secretlab forever",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/exclusive-if-were-going-to-do-it-half-assed-lets-not-do-it-at-all-co",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-15T18:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/gaming/co-founder-reveals-how-a-batman-chair-changed-secretlab-forever"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 2014, competitive Starcraft 2 players Ian Ang and Alaric Choo founded Secretlab. The Singapore-based brand has grown from one of the many local start-ups to a globally recognized gaming chair manufacturer. Their flagship product, the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022, has been lauded as one of the best gaming chairs in the market. The company also produces a range of desks and recently entered the productivity-focused task chair market with its new Atlas model.\n\nSpecial edition products, often tied to popular games, franchises, esports teams, and even luxury car brands, have become a key part of Secretlab's offerings. The company's journey began with a Batman chair, which marked a significant turning point for the brand.\n\nChoo, Secretlab's co-founder and head of partnerships, chose Batman as the inspiration for their first collaboration due to its status as a huge IP. At the time, other gaming furniture brands had not ventured into such partnerships, making it a novel idea for Secretlab. The design process took a whole year, as Choo and his team had to figure out how to translate Batman's image into a sleek, understated design. The resulting chair featured a subtle bat emblem and a carbon-fiber-like pattern, resonating with both franchise owners and consumers. Warner Bros. even awarded Secretlab the 'Best Licensed Product' in the home décor category at the Licensing International Excellence Awards in 2021.\n\nThe success of the Batman chair encouraged Secretlab to pursue future collaborations, emphasizing that they don't simply slap logos on products. Instead, they aim to gain deep knowledge of the source material and work closely with the IPs they collaborate with. The company's employees are encouraged to be passionate about the IPs they work with, resulting in a workspace adorned with collectibles inspired by various games, comic books, manga, movies, and more. Choo's own workspace displays his love for Pokémon, with a Genshin Impact print among other memorabilia.\n\nSecretlab's collaborations are characterized by meticulous attention to detail, incorporating new materials and manufacturing techniques. Despite the popularity of certain IPs, Choo believes that the team focuses on creating unique designs that fit Secretlab's premium brand image. They carefully consider factors such as color schemes, brand guidelines, and the overall appeal to both young and older fans.",
  "summary": "We discuss Secretlab’s expansive collab product line with co-founder and head of partnerships, Alaric Choo.",
  "key_points": [
    "Co-founder Ian Ang and Alaric Choo founded Secretlab in 2014",
    "Batman chair collaboration marked significant turning point for Secretlab",
    "Meticulous attention to detail in IPs collaborations"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}