Hardware

Prominent accessory manufacturer Thrustmaster is back in the spotlight with another interesting product – the TMX Force Feedback racing wheel, with highly adaptive force feedback effect. The new steering wheel has been officially designed for Xbox One, but the manufacturer ensures full compatibility on Windows platform PC’s as well.

You’ve heard the whispers by now, whispers of a more powerful and better equipped PlayStation 4 machine. Intended to handle higher-end gaming experiences and to serve as a better launchpad for Sony’s VR peripheral – the rumored “PlayStation 4.5” is just that machine, and it just might be closer than we all think.

Ford versus Chevy. Ferrari versus McLaren. Sony versus Microsoft. Some grudge matches seem almost as old as time itself, with console gamers being all too familiar with the third matchup. Exclusive titles on each console are only one aspect of the tough choice gamers face when picking a system: the number of friends on PSN or Xbox Live matters too, since players are restricted to those ecosystems. That might not be the case for much longer, however.

Thrustmaster continues their vie for peripheral domination with their newest add-on, benefiting those with the company’s TH8A and TH8 RS shifter assemblies – the TH8 Sequential Knob.

Coming hot off their DB9 adapter allowing non-Thrustmaster pedals to be paired alongside a competent wheel from the company, they’ve now released an adapter that further opens up the hardware ecosystem, allowing owners of the T3PA and T3PA-PRO 3 pedals to use them as standalone products.

While the seeds have been planted for quite some time now, Slightly Mad Studios have now made it official: announcing that the critically-acclaimed WMD-powered racer will be an Oculus Rift launch title.

Sony took the opportunity to lay out more details for its virtual reality headset at the Game Developers Conference earlier today. While the fall release date is later than originally planned, prospective buyers will be happy to see that PS VR undercuts rivals from both Oculus and HTC… though not by as much as you’d think (more on that in a bit). Pricing for the following territories was announced:

Recently published news on the official website could really turn the heat up among photo enthusiasts of the popular driving simulator Project CARS. In order to celebrate the launch of the new Playseat Project CARS gaming seat Slightly Mad Studios decided to collaborate with Playseat once more and host a photo competition for all Project CARS game owners willing to test their snap-shooting skills. More importantly, the contest will involve none other than the American machines recently released as a part of the US Car Race Pack.

Indeed, who could have seen that coming? The new adapter from Thrustmaster features compatibility with non-Thrustmaster pedals as long as they feature a DB9 connector. That naturally includes Logitech and its G-series pedals.

The already-pleased Project CARS community is going to be delighted even further, as Playseat revealed information regarding their newest product: the appropriately-titled Playseat Project CARS gaming seat. Needles to say, the product was developed in collaboration with Slightly Mad Studios, the creator of the popular racing simulator. The studio is responsible for decorating the seat with handmade stitched Project CARS artwork and popular visuals that identify their simulator.

Derek Speare Designs is one of the sonorous brands of the sim-racing components market. It crafted its popularity by producing various button boxes, pedals, shifters and other accessories of high quality. It seems that the company has no intentions of resting on its laurels, as DSD recently revealed components for what appears to be a new rig for eager driving enthusiasts.

Hardcore driving enthusiasts should be able to tell how comfortable a good rig must be to push the thrill of virtual driving to higher level. rSeat is responding to the market by releasing the newest N1 rig hardware.

PlayStation VR, otherwise known as Project Morpheus, has been something of a hot topic for the GTPlanet community upon discovering Shuhei Yoshida, President of SCE Worldwide Studios, would like the platform to support Gran Turismo.

(EDITOR NOTE: The majority of the links below will only show the sale price starting at 00:01 Friday. eBay UK Lightning Deal links may change and/or expire at any time.)

After teasing us last week, Fanatec has shown off their newest product in full, the CSL Steering Wheel P1. Compatible with the Club Sport Wheel Bases (the original as well as V2), the CSL wheel is unique among the existing lineup, as it doesn’t require the Universal Wheel Hub to perform on the XBox One.

Sim racers on Microsoft’s system look set to get a new option in the increasingly-crowded affordable wheel market. Fanatec released the above image on Facebook yesterday, showing a leather-clad wheel with an integrated information panel and centre-line. Visible behind the wheel are the expected flappy-paddles, but beyond that, there isn’t much more info available in the original image Fanatec supplied.

While the 44th Tokyo Motor Show brought us plenty of interesting Gran Turismo news – a slightly modified version of Nissan’s Vision GT car made its debut, while Toyota’s new S-FR small sports car was playable – one thing that may have flown under some radars was Polyphony’s newest motion simulator rig, which was set up specifically for taking the little Toyota for a spin in a special limited edition of GT6.

Today, Sony has announced a significant price drop on the fast-selling PS4 and its numerous bundles, both existing and upcoming, in Canada and the US. These prices will go into effect tomorrow, October 9, just in time for the Thanksgiving weekend for those of us located in the Great White North.

In what has already proven itself to be one of the most active years yet for sim racers, the commotion continues with Fanatec’s recent announcement of their newest product made in cooperation with Turn 10 Studios and tailor-made for Forza Motorsport 6, an official Forza Motorsport-branded ClubSport Wheel Rim GT.