In the TV show “Die Höhle der Löwen”, a deal was made for a gaming mouse. However, the deal falls through because an important detail is missing: the Zaunkoenig M1K has no scroll wheel, and one of the “lions” does not like that.
In the TV show “Die Höhle der Löwen”, innovative or quirky ideas are presented every week. Here, start-ups, inventors, and founders seek venture capital. They showcase innovative ideas and offer the investors, the lions, shares in exchange for money.
This time, an interesting product for gamers was featured: alongside a baking mix and liquor made from coffee beans, an extremely lightweight mouse for gamers was introduced.
This was presented: On March 29, 2021, the brothers Dominik and Patrick Schmalzried appeared on the TV show “Die Höhle der Löwen” and presented the “lightest gaming mouse in the world.” The Zaunkoenig M1K weighs just 23 grams. The mouse is made of carbon fiber, which is why the small device is so light.
With its low weight, it aims to appeal primarily to competitive gamers who play fast-paced games like shooters. Lightness plays a significant role here.
The “lions” Ralf Dümmel and Carsten Maschmeyer liked the lightweight gaming mouse and snatched up the deal. They invested €100,000 for 25% of the shares. However, in the end, the deal did not materialize because one of the “lions” had concerns.
The title image has been taken from the Kickstarter project (via Kickstarter.com) for the Zaunkoenig MK1.
Deal for gaming mouse falls through due to missing scroll wheel
Here’s why the deal fell through: In the end, the deal between the lions and the Schmalzried brothers fell through because of a small detail: the scroll wheel. The Zaunkoenig M1K only offers two buttons and no option to scroll.
Carsten Maschmeyer later explained: “For many gamers, the scroll wheel is essential – a tool that Patrick and Dominik’s development did not have.”
It seems they also could not agree on the “pricing” of the mouse. €300 was likely too expensive for the investors for the lightest mouse. Further details have not been disclosed.
“Product overlooks gamer reality”
What was the reaction of the viewers? On Twitter (via Twitter), there were also some comments from users about the deal, and the reactions were mixed:
- “The product is so out of touch with gamer reality. Good for you that the deal didn’t happen, it would have been a waste of money and time.”
- “I think the [falling through of the deal] is better this way. The product, in my opinion, is complete nonsense and has no future. I thought I was the only one who thought this while watching.”
What happens next? Ralf Dümmel and Carsten Maschmeyer want to continue supporting the two founders, even though the deal did not come to fruition.
And the founders seem to have taken the advice of the almost-investors to heart, as the second version of the Zaunkoenig is now equipped with a scroll wheel. However, this still costs a hefty €299.
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Brothers present “lightest gaming mouse in the world”
What kind of mouse is this? Inside the mouse, the PMW 3360 from Pixart is used, which is a powerful and high-resolution sensor found in many gaming mice. The mouse also utilizes durable Omron switches and has a polling rate of 1,000 Hertz. This means that the device offers current standards like any other gaming mouse.
Are there similarly lightweight mice? Comparable lightweight mice include the Glorious PC Gaming Race Model O- at 58 grams or the one tested by MeinMMO tested Roccat Burst Pro. Thus, the mouse presented weighs slightly less than half.
Here’s why the mouse is so expensive: The mouse is made from carbon fiber, which is why its price is also €299. The developers are already working on the M2K version, explaining the price on their own website (via zaunkoenig.co) and they are quite confident:
Yes, this is expensive for a gaming mouse. But it is a normal price for something made from carbon fiber. Each Zaunkoenig M2K carbon fiber shell is handcrafted in Germany. You really have to imagine the Zaunkoenig M2K like a Porsche on your mousepad.
via Zaunkoenig.co
Has anyone already tested the mouse? Some people have already had the opportunity to try the mouse. The YouTuber Brandon Taylor (186,000 subscribers) presented the mouse in a video. He is impressed by the low weight and excellent craftsmanship. However, he finds the price too high.
You can see his gameplay with the gaming mouse in his (English) video. We have embedded the video here for you:
Can the mouse be ordered at all? If you are still interested in the €300 mouse, you can order it directly from the developer (via zaunkoenig.co). The mouse also comes from Germany, so there are no import fees, and the delivery time is likely to be comparatively short.
If you prefer to look for a more standard gaming mouse, we can recommend our MeinMMO best list: Here we present the best gaming mice that you can currently buy.
What do you think? Would you buy this extremely lightweight gaming mouse, or do you consider it a bad gimmick on your desk? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
