Gaming hardware brand ZOWIE has announced a new partnership with Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, the in-game leader of Team Vitality’s Counter-Strike 2 roster. The company said apEX will work closely with its engineers and performance staff to help improve professional gaming gear used in competition.

As part of the collaboration, apEX will give feedback from top-level tournaments, take part in sports science testing, and share his experience from elite matches to help refine products designed for competitive players.

For instance, during a long playoff match, Dan ‘apEX’ Madesclaire notices the mouse gets slippery after many rounds under stage lights. He reports it, and the company adds a better grip coating so players keep control late in games. In another scenario, apEX feels the keyboard keys are a bit too stiff when he needs fast counter-strafes. Engineers lower the actuation force so movements feel quicker and more responsive.

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Reacting to the official announcement, the French captain posted a short response saying, “Thanks so much, so excited.”

The deal stands out because, over the past few years, ZOWIE has usually signed entire teams and organisations instead of individual players. For example, earlier in January 2026, German organisation CGN Esports named ZOWIE its official monitor partner for its VALORANT roster and content projects.

Around the same time, North American organisation ENVY also renewed a sponsorship with the brand, bringing back a partnership that originally started about ten years ago. Because hardware sponsors typically support full lineups rather than single competitors, the apEX signing signals a more player-focused approach.

However, it doesn’t mean that ZOWIE has never worked with individual players to develop and refine its products. One early example was the EC-series mouse, developed with legendary Counter-Strike player Emil “HeatoN” Christensen in 2010, which helped establish the company’s reputation for performance-driven design. Because of that background, the apEX signing appears less like a marketing move and more like an extension of its research process.

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