The recent disaster involving the Titan submersible has not only brought renewed criticism to deep-sea exploration company OceanGate but also to Logitech, the Swiss electronics manufacturer known for its game controllers and computer mice. The Titan submersible was piloted using a Logitech F710 controller designed for PC gaming. The stock market reacted quickly to Logitech’s association with the ill-fated expedition. According to MarketWatch, Logitech’s share price started the week at $56.73 on Tuesday morning and dropped nearly 5 percent to $53.91 by Wednesday lunchtime. By Friday afternoon, it had mostly recovered, closing out the week at $55.80 per share.
In addition to the drop in stock prices, Logitech also faced a barrage of troll reviews on Amazon for the F710 and other similar gamepads. CBS Sunday Morning reporter David Pogue even joked about the use of the unique steering device when he went down to the Titanic wreckage in the Titan with Rush last year. While it may seem unusual to use a $40 gaming device to control something thousands of feet under the sea, it’s actually more common than one might think. For example, the U.S. Navy uses Xbox controllers on its submarines in place of certain controls.
The apparent disregard for warnings from past OceanGate employees and reliance on makeshift technology has turned this incident into more than just a tragedy. Titanic director James Cameron, who has visited the shipwreck nearly three dozen times over the years, drew a heartbreaking parallel between this disaster and the April 1912 sinking of the Titanic where Captain Edward Smith ignored warnings to steer clear of an iceberg field.
In conclusion, while the Logitech F710 may be great for virtual submarine diving, its association with the real-life disaster hasn’t done any favors for the company’s image.
Comments