Why Do Gaming Headsets Exist?
Headsets are no longer just for the esteemed pilots and astronauts — couch potatoes like you and me have them too. These days, they come with… rainbow lights?
Pondering the existence of gaming headsets wasn’t something I planned to do today. But it was practically haunting me. I was getting a ton of recommendations on Lazada despite already owning a pair. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the headphones we were provided at work were… gaming headsets.
Even the pair of cans I have at home is a gaming headset. They’re everywhere.
If you asked me years ago if I needed a pair of headphones or a microphone for my computer, I would’ve said no. The speakers worked just fine. These days, however, headsets are no longer just for esteemed pilots and astronauts. Couch potatoes like you and I have them too!
But the bigger question is, why do gaming headsets even exist?
We could just use whatever the pilots have, and typical office headsets exist too. Instead, we have a comically large pair of headphones that light up in funky colors… that everyone seems to hate. And yet:
The market share for gaming headsets is predicted to increase by $1.28 billion from 2021 to 2026.
I think people are just in denial about the funky lights.
To know how gaming headsets came to be, we’ll go back to how it all started.
The first modern headphones would be the Radio Head-Set. Its design consisted of a headband and two ear cups connected on either side. It rests comfortably on top of your head, similar to how most headphones are today.
Fast forward to 1961, two former pilots founded Plantronics. It was a company centered around producing headsets. A headset is essentially a headphone and microphone combined to create a portable system. This invention was crucial during NASA’s missions. Astronauts needed a way to communicate given the logistics of, well, being in space.
Gaming headsets only came to be until online multiplayer boomed in the 90s. For the first time, players could face off against each other over a network. This led to the creation of the first gaming headset. Isabela Carniato and her friends had the idea while they were ranting over a game of poker. They were distraught that they were unable to play Quake II and talk all at once.
They formed a company called ShadowFactor Software and created BattleCom. It was a program that allowed a game and voice chat to go through a single phone line smoothly.
In 1999, they were acquired by Microsoft.
Together, they created the Game Voice. The Game Voice was not just a software. It also came with a headset that allowed players to talk to each other in-game.
While the device was not marketed with the phrase ‘gaming headset,’ it sure did check all the boxes to fit in the category.
The company that coined the term officially was Steelseries.
In 2004, they launched the Siberia gaming headset. They were the first to add all those bells and whistles resembling the gaming headset of today.
With that, modern gaming headsets were born.
Talking to your teammates while playing had become easier than ever with the gaming headset. But if you think about it, the aviation industry and even regular office workers use headsets already, and they work the same way gaming headsets do.
So what’s the difference?
From my experience, ‘regular’ headsets used in offices are typically simple, compact, and don’t fit as comfortably on your ears as a gaming headset would. But they work just fine.
A regular headset is good enough if you only need to deal with calls. It is usually cheaper than a gaming headset. The latter usually comes with tons of bells and whistles (I’m looking at you, RGB LEDs!) to convince you that it’s the next best thing.
Perhaps someone better versed in headsets and audio would notice more differences. But for a regular person, that’s pretty much it. You can listen to anything and use the microphone to talk. Great!
What’s the point of a gaming headset, then?
While you can say that gaming headsets are likely just marketing jargon to sell a flashier and expensive device — though you wouldn’t be completely wrong — further research can show you that there are features that a gaming headset has that your regular headsets lack.
Other features include noise-cancelling microphones, wireless capability, cross-platform compatibility, breathable ear cups, and customizable lighting.
Gaming headsets — as their name suggests — are tuned for gaming more than anything. Listening to music or to other things on a gaming headset will not be as enjoyable. The headset is also unfortunately notorious for having substandard microphone quality.
It seems that when you put a pair of headphones and a microphone to form a single package, the individual parts are compromised to make up for the cost. Some would even say you’re getting a subpar experience because you’re getting lower sound and mic quality in this oddly specific package that only fits about one use case: gaming.
Not that I’m underestimating how big the market for gaming is — it’s huge. But for all the negative feedback that gaming headsets get, I’m just genuinely surprised that there’s still an entire market for it.
Regardless of what people say about gaming headsets, they’re just convenient.
The listening experience is not top-notch, and the mic will never sound as good as a dedicated condenser mic.
But a gaming headset just… works.
You get decent headphones, and maybe a not-that-great mic wrapped up in a plush headset that’s usable for hours on end.
It’s an easy choice.
A gaming headset is cheaper than buying a separate pair of headphones and a microphone. It’s also easy to set up since most of them can just be plugged into a computer and it’ll work seamlessly. I think in the making of these headsets that are fine-tuned for gaming, people have found other uses for them as well.
I believe that their convenience has cemented their continued existence. Gaming headsets are just a simple choice for people who want something that does the job, is comfortable, and doesn’t completely break the bank… unless you want it to.
Y’know, for the funky lights.
