Is the sim racing hardware market booming? There is no reliable public figure for its size; the market-size numbers that circulate come from paywalled reports that disagree with each other. What the public record does show is strong activity: large electronics companies buying in, direct-drive wheels dropping sharply in price, specialist makers launching new generations, and more places to race. Here is that evidence, and what it means for buyers.
Signal 1: Big companies are moving in, and consolidating
In May 2024, CORSAIR announced it was pursuing the acquisition of Endor AG, the company behind Fanatec, through a German insolvency process. Endor was carrying about €70 million in debt. That cuts both ways: a major PC hardware company saw enough opportunity to step in, and a major sim brand had grown faster than its finances could support.
Signal 2: Direct drive reached mainstream prices
Direct-drive wheelbases, where the motor turns the wheel shaft directly, used to be enthusiast-only. In September 2025, Logitech launched the RS50 base with up to 8 Nm of peak torque at $349.99 for the PC version, plus RS Pedals with a 75 kg load-cell brake at $159.99. A load-cell brake measures how hard you press rather than how far the pedal travels, which is closer to how a real brake feels.
Signal 3: The high end keeps moving
Specialists are still pushing upward. Simucube began shipping its third-generation Sport (15 Nm) and Pro (25 Nm) wheelbases in November 2025, with the 35 Nm Ultimate in 2026. The Simucube 3 Pro lists a 23-bit angle sensor and sells for $1,599. Prices like these show buyers paying professional money for home and commercial rigs.
Signal 4: More reasons to own a rig
- Better software. Le Mans Ultimate, the official game of the World Endurance Championship, reached version 1.0 in July 2025, according to Motorsport Games.
- More F1 fans. U.S. F1 TV audiences averaged 1.3 million per race in 2025, up 135% from 2018, according to the ESPN Press Room.
- More places to try it. F1 Arcade lists seven open U.S. venues, and its Boston location opened in 2024 with 69 full-motion simulators, per Formula 1. Trying a sim at a venue or an event is often how people decide to buy one.
What this means if you are buying
- Home use: a sub-$500 direct-drive base is now a realistic starting point.
- Business use: commercial rigs see heavy use by people who have never driven a sim. Build quality, safety, staffing and service matter more than peak torque.
- Motion: motion platforms are a separate decision from the wheel. Ours are electric; read why in hydraulic vs. electric motion platforms.
Our racing simulator buying guide goes through these choices step by step.
Buy, lease or rent from SimsForHire
SimsForHire sells and leases simulators and rents them for events in South Florida. Our fleet is 10 full-motion rigs built on SIGMA Integrale 2DOF/3DOF motion platforms, which use electric actuators. For events, full-motion rigs are $2,750 per rig per day, with a $2,000 event minimum — all plus tax and insurance. Delivery is free within 50 miles of Miami; farther out, we quote the delivery fee on request. Call (754) 228-5654, email hello@simsforhire.com, or start a booking. We reply within 24 hours.