Three EPIC.LAN events. Hundreds of conversations. One thing became very clear...
When XP-Pro Eyewear attended our first EPIC.LAN event back in October, we thought we knew our audience.
- We knew gamers spent long hours in front of screens.
- We knew many experienced tired, sore eyes after gaming.
- We knew our lens technologies could help reduce visual fatigue.
What we didn't know was just how much we still had to learn.
Over three EPIC.LAN events, we've had the privilege of speaking with hundreds of gamers, from casual players enjoying a weekend with friends to competitive esports players pushing themselves to the limit.
Those conversations have shaped not only how we talk about XP-Pro Eyewear, but how we continue to develop it.
Here's what we've learned.
Lesson One: Most Gamers Didn't Know They Were Experiencing Eye Strain
One of the biggest surprises from our very first EPIC.LAN was how many people described exactly the symptoms of digital eye strain but without actually knowing what eye strain was.
They would tell us things like:
- "My eyes just feel cooked after a few hours."
- "I always get sore eyes on Sunday after LAN."
- "Everything just feels harder to focus on later in the day."
For many, they simply assumed this was part of gaming and it wasn't something they thought could be improved.
That became one of our biggest jobs over the weekend, not selling glasses, but educating people about what prolonged screen use can do to your eyes and why it happens.
Lesson Two: XP-Pro Eyewear Isn't Just for Gamers
Like many people, we initially thought XP-Pro Eyewear was purely a gaming product but then something unexpected happened.
Some members of the EPIC.LAN staff started trying the glasses.
After spending long days in front of laptops, production screens and event control systems, many came back and told us they felt noticeably more comfortable wearing them. Infact several even bought a pair before the event had finished because they wanted to wear them for work.
That was a lightbulb moment for us.
Gaming may have brought us together, but visual fatigue doesn't stop when you log off.
- Developers
- Designers
- Office workers
- Students
- Content creators
The list goes on so, basically anyone spending long hours in front of screens faces many of the same visual challenges. XP-Pro wasn't just helping gamers. It was helping heavy screen users too.
Lesson Three: Listen to Your Community
One request kept coming up at our first ever event and that was…
"Do you do prescription lenses?"
It made complete sense because many gamers are already glasses wearer so, we listened.
When we returned for our second EPIC.LAN in February, we introduced prescription lenses. And the response was incredible.
Many visitors told us they'd been waiting for exactly that and for us, it reinforced something we've believed from the beginning.
The best products aren't built in isolation. They're shaped by the people who use them.
Lesson Four: Nothing Beats Watching Someone Try XP-Pro Eyewear for the First Time
One of our favourite moments at every EPIC.LAN isn't actually making a sale. It is watching someone put on a pair of XP-Pro for the very first time. The reaction never gets old.
- Some people pause for a few seconds and simply look around
- Others immediately smile
Quite a few look at us and say, "Wow… I can actually feel the difference."
One of the first things people notice is how comfortable they feel. The second is usually how incredibly light they are and almost all noticed how they sharpen their vision.
Comments like "They feel weightless" or "You forget you're even wearing them" have become some of our favourite pieces of feedback because that's exactly what we set out to achieve. When you're gaming for hours, your glasses should disappear into the background so you can focus on what's happening on screen, not what's sitting on your face.
The packaging is another surprise.
We've lost count of the number of people who've opened the presentation box and simply said, "Wow."
For us, every detail matters. From the moment someone opens the box to the moment they put the glasses on, we want the experience to feel premium because that's what XP-Pro Eyewear is all about.
Perhaps the most valuable part of these moments isn't what people say, it's that they're saying it without being prompted. They are genuine, honest reactions from people experiencing XP-Pro Eyewear for the first time.
As founders, it is incredibly rewarding. It also gives us something far more valuable than market research or focus groups. It gives us direct, real-world feedback from the people we're designing XP-Pro for and that's the kind of insight money simply cannot buy.
Every conversation, every reaction and every suggestion helps us improve what we do, and reminds us why we built XP-Pro Eyewear in the first place.
Lesson Five: Gamers Want Honest Conversations
By the third EPIC.LAN the latest one in July, something had changed.
People weren't just visiting our stand to buy glasses. Many were coming over simply to chat because some has been our customer from the day we launched during October EPIC.LAN, they wanted to tell us how XP-Pro had helped them at work. Some even said they now wear them while driving at night.
Many shared stories of reduced eye strain during long gaming sessions.
Those conversations feel priceless.
They helped us understand how people were really using XP-Pro Eyewear beyond what we originally imagined.
Lesson Six: Looking After Your Eyes Means Looking Away From the Screen
Our latest EPIC.LAN was held during the summer (literally two weeks ago) and we wanted to do something different.
Instead of focusing solely on gaming, we encouraged people to take short breaks.
Our "Touched Grass, 100XP Unlocked" frisbee golf challenge quickly became one of the most popular activities of the weekend.
Yes, it was a gaming joke but it also carried an important message.
Even with performance eyewear, your eyes still benefit from regular breaks, fresh air and looking into the distance.
XP-Pro is designed to reduce visual fatigue. It isn't a replacement for healthy visual habits and looking after your eyesight means doing both.
Lesson Seven: The Community Continues to Shape XP-Pro Eyewear
At our most recent event, the entire EPIC.LAN crew wore XP-Pro Eyewear throughout the weekend because the CEO of EPIC.LAN purchased not one but two pairs of XP-Pro and has been advocating his team to wear them for the duration of the event.
They used them in bright production areas.
- Dark tournament halls
- Control rooms
- Streaming environments
- During live stream and wore by presenters
The feedback was incredibly encouraging with many commented on how much more comfortable the lighting felt in a dark environment.
Others said the enhanced contrast helped make screens easier to look at over long periods.
Hearing that kind of feedback from people spending entire weekends surrounded by screens reminds us why we started XP-Pro Eyewear in the first place.
Looking Back... And Looking Forward
Three EPIC.LAN events have taught us far more than we ever expected.
- We've learned how gamers describe eye strain
- We've learned what they value in eyewear
- We've learned the importance of listening
Most importantly, we've learned that eye health is becoming a conversation gamers genuinely want to have which is exciting because our goal has never been to sell another pair of gaming glasses.
For us is about helping people to understand their vision, reduce unnecessary eye strain and stay comfortable doing the things they love.
Every conversation at EPIC.LAN has helped us move a little closer to that goal.
So, if you've stopped by our stand over the past year, whether you bought a pair, tried them on for five minutes or simply came over for a chat. THANK YOU! You've helped shape XP-Pro Eyewear more than you probably realise.
We also wanted to thank the EPIC team for their support and thank you to all the crew who purchased their very own pair of XP-Pro Eyewear.
And we're only just getting started.