This is the Puma Active Gaming Footwear. It looks like a running shoe but it’s actually — a sitting down sock for “eSports athletes”? What the stuff, Puma.
Here’s the video.
The company claims that the Puma Active Gaming Footwear is engineered for comfort and breathability, with a “custom last sock-like ift” and have a low profile rubber outsole for grip.
According to Puma, these gaming socks were “created with console gamers in mind“ and “designed for indoor and in-arena use, it delivers seamless comfort, support and grip so gamers can adapt to different active gaming modes and game their best.” If you are wondering what they are referring to as “gaming modes”, the footwear company lists these “Features & Benefits” on its site:
- Medial wrap-up grip in SEEK mode
- Lateral wrap-up support in ATTACK mode
- Heel wrap-up stability in CRUISE and DEFENSE mode
What the hell is seek, attack, cruise and defense mode on a sock? Your guess is at good as mine, folks. I guess someone forgot to tell Puma that people who play actually sit down unless they are using a virtual reality headset — and even then there’s not a lot of movement when it comes to seek, defend, attack or whatever “cruise” means in gaming context.
Puma says the gaming sock is the first edition Active Gaming Footwear, so it probably means it has the idea to release more of these.
You can buy it now for $105 in the UK and Australia, and it’s likely it will come to the U.S. and the rest of the world sooner than later. I’ll save the money and just play in my Adventure Time‘s Jake the Dog socks.
