Lenovo Withdraws from Gaming Smartphone Business
Lenovo, a Chinese multinational technology company, has announced that it is discontinuing its gaming smartphones under the Legion brand. The company has cited a wider business transformation and a consolidation of its gaming portfolio as the reasons for the decision.
The Legion line of smartphones had gained recognition for its impressive specs and gimmicks, such as SSD RAID storage and pop-out cameras. However, Lenovo had failed to establish the brand outside of China, which is likely to have contributed to the company's decision.
A spokesperson for Lenovo stated that the company remains committed to advancing the gaming category across various form factors while focusing on where it can bring the most value to the global gaming community. The company will now concentrate on its Moto line and special models such as the ThinkPhone.
Lenovo had poached several employees from the ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) team at the start of its foray into mobile gaming, indicating its initial commitment to the market. However, its last Legion-branded smartphone, the slightly lower-end Y70, was announced in August 2022, and the final flagship Y90 was released over a year ago in February 2022.
With Lenovo's departure from the gaming smartphone market, ASUS is now the only major player in the industry with its ROG gaming smartphone lineup. Other notable brands include Nubia Red Magic and Xiaomi's Black Shark, although the latter recently laid off a significant portion of its workforce.
Lenovo's decision to withdraw from the gaming smartphone market marks a significant shift in its mobile strategy. While the company remains a leader in gaming devices and solutions, it appears to be focusing on other areas where it can bring more value to customers.
