SteelSeries (a leading manufacturer of various gaming accessories such as headsets, keyboards, mouse pads, and mouse accessories) just struck a partnership with Reason Gaming (a British team that manages squads for Quake 4, Counter Strike, Call of Duty, Battlefield 2, and Halo 2; and was even chosen to represent UK in the World Cyber Games 2005) to produce cool videogame accessories.

As such, Reason Gaming will take part in promoting SteelSeries products. Also, both companies are preparing for various UK LAN events for 2007, so that's something to look forward to.

Says, Kim Rom, Head of SteelSeries' PR & Communications:

SteelSeries have been supporting a wide range of eSports teams since our inception in 2001. We select partners carefully, ensuring they are well suited to represent our brand. Reason Gaming has already had solid results with Gladiator Computers and Western Digital.

The SteelSeries company has come out with a two new types of headsets for gaming enthusiasts to scream profanities at each other with. Known as the SteelSound 4H and 3H, the two headsets were tested by professional gamers to ensure quality headphones for all-around gaming on consoles and computers. Of course, your choice of headsets won't only be a matter of quality, but also a matter of ear size.

For the folks with normal-sized ears that don't stand out, the 3H is your best bet. The gadget is lightweight and foldable making it easy to take around for gaming conventions. It's also got what SteelSeries calls a "retractable, uni-directional microphone" and features a 50 - 18.000 Hz pickup pattern, which seems to be the best bet for gamers who want to use it while doing an MMORPG raid on bosses.

For people who bear "Dumbo ears" like myself, there's also the SteelSound 4H, which has bigger ear cups to keep outside noises away from the gaming experience and felt cushions to make your ears feel nice and cozy. Better still, the 4H is designed to work well with FPS and RTS games, as the retractable microphone is uni-directional, ensuring that your teammates hear you in the middle of a firefight.

SteelSound's 3H and 4H are priced at around US$ 50 and US$ 60, respectively. A lot of bang for your buck, and definitely worth thinking about getting if your team gets creamed in Halo all the time.