Gaming brand Razer struck its first exclusive operator deal in the US, with sales of its second-generation smartphone set to begin later this week.

The Verge reported Razer Phone 2 will be available from AT&T on Friday (16 November). In addition to being the vendor’s first exclusive operator deal in the country, the move marks something of a departure from its sales model given the original Razer phone was only available unlocked.

Backing from a major operator could provide a boost to sales for the niche device, which is designed specifically for gaming.

In a tweet, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan said the US deal is the first of several operator partnerships the company has in the pipeline:

We have been working with more mobile network partners around the world for wider availability of the @Razer Phone 2. To our fans in the US, we’ve some exciting news for you tomorrow. Keep a lookout for it!

— Min-Liang Tan (@minliangtan) 13 November 2018

Razer Phone 2 was unveiled in October and aims to deliver a high tier mobile gaming experience: it offers a performance boost of up to 30 per cent over its predecessor, a vapour-based cooling feature and enhanced screen technology.

The company also worked with a number of game publishers to deliver high quality gaming experiences.

With an AT&T plan, the device will reportedly set customers back $26.67 a month, or can be bought outright for $799. The smartphone is also available from US retailer Best Buy.