It started with an ESL Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) match and a moment of quiet observation. Scott Boniface, co-founder of PREFIRE, wasn’t watching strategy unfold on-screen. He was watching the players’ hands. In between rounds, pro gamers were clutching disposable hand warmers — a small, often overlooked ritual repeated across tournaments.
That image stuck. “I couldn’t unsee it,” Boniface recalled. “And I couldn’t stop thinking about it.” What began as a curiosity soon evolved into PREFIRE (styled PREF*RE): a bold entry into esports’ billionaire market through an instant heat pack gap, launching in May 2025 with a heat pouch specifically designed for gamers.
Boniface and longtime friend and business partner Ryan Bannon aren’t newcomers to entrepreneurship. The duo built Playground Inc., a Toronto-based design agency known for work with clients like Canada Goose, The Grammy’s, and Sportsnet. After the firm was acquired in 2021, they shifted focus — combining their professional experience with a shared love for gaming.
With PREFIRE, the duo claim to be not just selling a product, but attempting to “redefine the role of wellness in competitive gaming.” The product itself is a bright yellow, sweat-wicking hand warmer — one that doubles as what they call a “performance wellness tool.” While professional gamers have long used generic hand warmers to improve blood flow and reaction time, PREFIRE aims to expand that function: offering a moment of calm, mental reset, and tactile ritual in the high-pressure environment of esports.
Its design is rooted in the philosophy of the late Virgil Abloh’s “3% Rule” — the idea that small design tweaks can elevate a commodity into a cultural object. “We’re flipping the script,” Boniface said. “This isn’t something to hide. It’s designed to be seen — on a stream, on stage, or at a desk.”
Early traction suggests an appetite for the concept. PREFIRE has been organically adopted by major esports organisations including FaZe Clan, G2 Esports, Evil Geniuses, Shopify Rebellion, and LOUD, and was recently spotted on display at Valorant Masters in Bangkok — all without paid marketing.
The company is also tapping into drop culture with seasonal, collectible colourways and stickers — taking cues from streetwear and gaming merch to drive demand and community engagement. Once a colourway is gone, it won’t return, adding an exclusivity factor to what was once considered a throwaway item.
Despite its playful aesthetic and ads designed to draw attention due to their weirdness, PREFIRE also makes statements about environmental responsibility. The pouches are made from non-toxic, eco-friendly materials — a design choice that resonates with increasingly sustainability-conscious consumers nowadays.
With all features and attention it is getting from professional players, The Esports Radar asked Boniface about the first financial perspectives of his new entrepreneurial project: “We’re still early, but the signal is strong. We’ve seen our product used by top-tier esports teams and creators, and that’s exactly where our focus is right now.
“In the short-to-mid term, our strategy is to become ubiquitous in esports. That means building deep partnerships with players, teams, and tournament organizers: from varsity to Tier 1. If you’re running a LAN or hosting a match and PREFIRE isn’t there, it should feel like something’s missing. That’s the brand position we’re working toward,” said Boniface.
“Once that foundation is set, we’ll turn our attention more aggressively toward the broader public: ranked grinders, casual gamers, fans who want access to exclusive drops and licensed collabs with the orgs they love.”
The Esports Radar asked if the duo is looking for new investors or planning a funding round to potentialise reach those goals. The response was firm: “Nope!”
“This is entirely self-funded,” continued Boniface, “just last week, Ryan and I both left our full-time jobs to go all in on PREFIRE. We’ve both got young kids at home, so yes, it’s uncertain and a little scary. But we believe in this. We wanted to give it everything we’ve got and see how far we can take it.
“We’re trying to build PREF*RE the long way, organically, from the ground up. Grassroots, slow and steady. I think people can tell when a brand is fueled by private equity versus genuine intent. We want to be something people root for. Something cool, with depth and staying power.”
The entrepreneur continued explaining his position, exemplifying his thoughts and also recalling previous experiences: “We’ve had interesting conversations with orgs about funding, but there’s always a risk in tying yourself too closely to any one of them. It limits your neutrality. If Red Bull had launched as a Team Liquid product, G2 probably wouldn’t have touched it. We want to be the Red Bull of hand warmers, available to everyone, not owned by anyone.
“And candidly, we’ve been through this before. We built our last company from scratch, ran it for 12 years, and eventually sold it. While we’re proud of that journey, losing control and not always being able to do the right thing for the right reasons, was a hard lesson. We’re trying to do it differently this time.”
With or without investors in the game, for a disposable every day use product, it is impossible to not consider how the company can grow and scale operations. Regarding it, Boniface projects to break the boundaries of gaming down the road: “The real scale for PREFIRE is beyond esports. We believe we can become a household name in skiing, snowboarding, hiking, camping, and everyday carry. That’s the long-term vision: turning a humble yellow pouch into something iconic across multiple industries.”
Ultimately, Boniface and Bannon see PREFIRE as a statement on where gaming is headed. As the conversation around mental health and performance expands in esports, the duo is betting that players and fans alike are ready for tools that support more than just mechanics. “Before there’s fire, there’s warmth,” Boniface said. “That small moment — that’s what we’re building around.”
From a quiet moment on the couch to the competitive stages of global tournaments, PREFIRE is staking a claim in an unlikely corner of esports — “This isn’t just about warmth. It’s about building culture, and we’re just getting started,” stated Boniface.
