I first learned about Alienware Corp. a couple of years ago, while covering the Florida business landscape for Florida Trend. I thought it was a company worth keeping an eye on, editorially, for a couple of reasons: It was a tech company, it was in south Florida, it achieved nine-digit revenue generation via dedicated niche markets, it was a great organic-growth entrepreneurial story. Unfortunately, I never made much headway — the company got into the magazine’s pages occasionally, but never in-depth. I think the business of hard-core videogaming PCs was considered outside the interests of Trend’s core readership.

Now that computermaking giant Dell is buying Alienware, a little more attention might go toward the high-end custom computer biz.

I’d noticed that Dell was really pushing its XPS line, positioning it to encroach upon the territory that Alienware and Voodoo PC had carved out. Despite robust growth, Alienware couldn’t hope to compete with Dell’s resources in the long run, and wouldn’t be able to convince potential investors otherwise. I’m assuming the company’s founders decided to get out while the getting was good.

Despite initial news that Alienware is going to retain its branding and autonomy, I can’t believe Dell would maintain both that and the XPS label. Eventually, one will be abandoned, and I’d bet it’s the Alienware name that goes in the ashbin.

UPDATE: Analysis from BusinessWeek’s Louise Lee suggests that acquiring Alienware is a response to the cool reception XPS has had. Since Dell is known as primarily low-end, the premium-priced XPS was a tough sell; Alienware is an established pricey brand, so that market segment is easier for Dell to reach via acquisition.