Keychron announces first open-source firmware for gaming mice | Digital Foundry

ZGM. That's the name of peripheral manufacturer Keychron's upcoming open-source gaming mouse firmware, announced today and planned to release in the first quarter of 2027 for the G6 HE hybrid magnetic switch gaming mouse (pictured above). This model is notable for being one of the first competitors to the Logitech X2 SuperStrike, but custom firmware support would be an impressive second string to its bow.

The ZGM firmware is essentially a mouse equivalent to the QMK and ZMK projects for mechanical keyboards. If you've never run across these, they're pretty useful - keyboards made using these firmwares can be freely amended with a range of tools, freeing you of the obligation to use only the manufacturer's preferred software and unlocking some advanced functionality. More importantly, the firmware is written to the keyboard's internal memory, so you don't need to have any programs running in the background for things to remain functional.

The ZGM firmware is intended to offer much the same advantages, but in a space where open-source firmware is far from the norm. The ZGM page is pretty light on details, but it does enshrine some sensible standards - including a focus on low-latency operation, modular layers for different components like sensor, buttons, scroll wheel and lights, and support for a wide range of microcontrollers and both wired and wireless mice.

Keyboards have QMK. They have ZMK. Mice have… nothing. 🔒

Every gaming mouse on the market runs firmware you can't read, can't audit, can't change.

So we built it ourselves.

ZGM — Zephyr Gaming Mouse. Open-source firmware for gaming mice, coming Q1 2027. The G6 HE will run… pic.twitter.com/naSdDXeMBh— Keychron (@KeychronMK) July 29, 2026

Keychron was last in the headlines here at Digital Foundry for its open-source keyboard efforts, which saw both firmware and .step CAD files being released to the community. Other manufacturers like analogue keyboard experts Wooting have also released a portion of their work under permissive licenses, but this is far from a common occurrence - I'd never expect to see similar efforts from giants like Razer or Logitech, for example.

If you're interested, I would suggest having a look at the ZGM GitHub page, which includes details like the GNU General Public License being used, the project's goals and so on. Keychron says that the project is "currently in its early setup phase", but it intends for the setup to take place in public and shaped by feedback.

It'll be interesting to see how ZGM fares once it reaches a releasable state, as QMK quickly became the base-line standard for boutique mechanical keyboards. If ZGM is able to achieve similar levels of success, it would be a huge deal for Keychron and the community as a whole.

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Will is website editor for Digital Foundry, specialising in PC hardware, sim racing and display technology.<br>Author Profile<br>Bluesky<br>Reply

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