A great day for racing gamers. Logitech has announced today two steering wheels, one for the PlayStation 4 and the other for Xbox One and PC. It will be one of few force feedback wheels available for the Xbox One.
It will also be a fully licensed product for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3. The Logitech G29 and G290 comes with dual motor transmission with anti-backlash gearing, all wrapped up in hand stitched leather for that real racing feel. The pedals also feature a stainless steel throttle, break and clutch pedals for that extra kick to help immerse you in your racing.
The G290 looks very similar to the G29 but does not features the Xbox One branding on the steering wheel centre.
“The G920 is the wheel fans have been asking for on Xbox One. We built on our history and legacy of previous generation driving wheels to deliver on a truly immersive experience for Xbox One gamers. I personally can’t wait to get behind our new wheel to play Forza Motorsport 6.”
– Ujesh Desai, general manager of the Logitech gaming business.
The feedback with the dual motors is meant to simulate the realistic feel of weight shift, the road conditions and the wear of the tyres, so you can physically sense the under or over steering of your car. The helical gears are designed after their real-life counter parts and allow for a smooth, quiet and precise steering motion. Anti-backlash system keeps the wheel and pedal inputs tight for maximum control.
“Our fans have been asking for a PS4 wheel since launch of the system, for the past 18 months we have been working with Sony to deliver a fully-licensed racing wheel and I am excited to announce it today.”
Both the Logitech G29 and G290 have solid steel bearing in the wheel shaft, stainless steel paddles, shifters and aluminium spokes. The hand stitched leather gives the steering wheel that real look and feel of a high performance racing wheel. Clamps and bolts allow you to securely mount it to a table or racing rig to stop it from shifting and moving while in game. The racing controls, d-pad and console buttons are also located in easy access areas on the G29 and G290 steering wheel centre.
“This is great news for all of the Xbox One racing fans who used a Logitech wheel in the past and have been asking for this on our system, with the release of Forza Motorsport 6 later this fall racing enthusiasts will now have the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the game with the Logitech G920 Racing Wheel.”
-James Hunter, Director of Business and Strategy, Xbox Accessories.
Both the G29 and G290 come with separate floor pedals which controls the acceleration, break and gear shift as you would in a real car. This helps to keep you in the correct position as you would be if driving. With the no linear break pedal mimicking the performance of a pressure sensitive brake system in a car it gives you that correct feel of breaking. A dedicated clutch helps gamers test their real ability for that full racing experience and immersion.
If you want to go one step further you can also purchase the Drive Force Shifter, which is a six speed, manual gear stick with full push down reverse. The Drive Force Shifter comes in the same quality construction as the G29 and G290 steering wheel and also showcases a hand stitched leather gear knob with built in clamps and bolt points for additional secured mounting.
The Logitech G290 gaming steering wheel and pedals is expected to be in the UK across multiple retailers from October 2015 and the G29 is expected from July 2015 both with a suggested retail price of £299.99. The Drive Force Shifter which is an optional add-on has yet to have a confirmed price for the UK.
The steering wheel and the pedals look like the dream for a racing gamer who wants the full experience. With a high price point it needs to be as spot on as it looks to make gamers interested. To find out how the kit does stay tuned right here at VGU for the upcoming review soon.
