Hardware

There’s been a lot of interest and debate over the new Logitech G29 steering wheel that was formally unveiled a few weeks ago, but not much in the way of hands-on impressions.

Sim-racing accessory manufacturer Fanatec has just announced a new version of their “ClubSport Pedals”, a popular upgrade used by many GTPlanet members.

After several leaks, Logitech have officially announced their return to the sim-racing hardware market with the G29 and G920 steering wheels. The two models are roughly identical, though the G29 is compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, while the G920 is compatible with the Xbox One and does not include the same red adjustable dial. Both models will also be compatible with the PC.

There’s been no official information or acknowledgement of Logitech’s G29 steering wheel, but two leaks over the past few weeks have all but confirmed the accessory maker’s return to the sim racing hardware market.

As you may have heard, news of Logitech’s return to the sim racing hardware market recently hit the web, with pictures of what appeared to be the G29 Driving Force. Now, more details and a new photo of the wheel’s packaging have leaked, via a report recently published by GameReactor.

The sim-racing hardware community is buzzing today after leaked photos and info appear to show a “Logitech G29 Driving Force” wheel prototype.

Fanatec, the manufacturer of many high-end sim racing accessories, has announced a special limited-time sale to celebrate “Black Friday” weekend. The deals focus on their “CSL Seat” and the two of their detachable wheels, the BMW M3 GT2 and “Formula Black” rims.

The Logitech G27 remains one of the most popular and widely used wheels in sim racing, thanks to its sturdy construction and nearly ubiquitous compatibility with console and PC racing games. Although it can’t quite offer the same range of features or technology that today’s high-end wheels provide, it is still one of the most affordable ways to upgrade from a controller.

Thrustmaster, the company which produces the T500RS – the “official” wheel for GT5 and GT6 – announced a new model today at the E3 game show in Los Angeles.

Sony’s latest console, the PlayStation 4, went on sale today in North America (Nov. 29 in Europe), officially kicking off the next generation of gaming hardware. (You can order one via this affiliate link, if you’d like to support GTPlanet.)

The PlayStation 4 was officially unveiled at Sony’s “PlayStation Meeting 2013” on Wednesday evening, and will be released at the end of this year (“Holiday 2013”).

Live Stream Begins February 20 at 23:00 GMT

All eyes will be on Sony’s “PlayStation Meeting 2013” on Wednesday, where they are widely expected to announce their next-generation console (GTPlanet will have links for the live-stream of the event available before it kicks off at 6:00pm Eastern Time [23:00 GMT]).

The last 12 months have been a busy year for Fanatec, who have been steadily updating their line of products aimed towards the more demanding sim racer.

The future of Logitech’s sim-racing steering wheel products has come under question since the company announced they “plan to discontinue other non-strategic products, such as speaker docks and console gaming peripherals, by the end of Calendar Year 2013,” in their latest quarterly earnings report.

As expected, no new Gran Turismo games were announced at E3 2012, which is being held this week in Los Angeles.

For many GT players a driving wheel is a must but, no matter what wheel you choose, you need a sturdy place to mount it. While there remains plenty of choice in the commercial driving rig market from such names as rSeat, Wheel Stand Pro and VisionRacer, many gamers also enjoy creating their own, often cheaper, and there are many threads in our Sim Racing Hardware forum of such builds.

The new “official” GT5 steering wheel, the Thrustmaster T500 RS, releases this Wednesday, and InsideSimRacing got their hands on an early unit to provide us with some much-needed details and first impressions.