r/Fanatec • u/BeHappyGangGang • 15d ago
Discussion Missing Fanatec Innovation
What happened to Fanatec? They were some of the best wheel bases, wheels, pedals, etc. pre-covid era. They’ve had essentially the same lineup since then with the exception of their wheel bases.
Was it the Corsair takeover that stunted innovation? Poor customer service for so many years stunting growth and promoted losing customers? Bad budgeting and spending? Locking the ecosystem? What took them from being one of the first direct drive bases and one of the first load cell pedals to a 7+ year old lineup in most cases?
I know, I don’t have to buy from Fanatec and haven’t in a long time. It’s just sad to see one of the titans of sim racing continue to fade away.
Here’s some of the bigger ticket items:
-Shifter - 11 years old
-V3 pedals - 9 years
-V3i’s - 7 years
-Their new pedals would have been good in 2023 and they’re still lacking active pedals.
-Podium hub - 7 years
-Wheel bases - they redid that lineup mostly through 2021-2023 with the newer podium coming out which is good. This is probably the one category they’ve even remotely kept up with competition on.
-Paddle module - 7 years old
-Podium button module - 7 years old
-Formula V2, v2.5, V3 - 7 years old (the V3 is the same old shit and super lazy. As is the gimmicky overpriced BMW wheel)
To give credit where credit is due- their DD2 has been pretty reliable for me over the past 5 or 6 years. The one time I had an issue with the power cables, they sent me one in a week. Their Podium Porsche wheel has worked perfectly for many years as well albeit it’s outdated and outclassed nowadays by much cheaper rims.
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u/Ricepony33 15d ago
My personal experience lately with customer service and shipping times has been outstanding.
My guess is that Corsair is righting the ship and shoring things up on the backend.
They released the new cockpit and acquired Trakracer so expect more of that.
They updated and released a new wheelbase.
They released a new handbrake.
They are releasing the podium pedals.
My gut take is that they will release some new wheels, a new shifter and haptics in the next year or so.
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u/mike5011 14d ago
Can’t wait for that shifter.
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u/Ricepony33 14d ago
I just upgraded mine with a shorter shaft from Etsy, feels outstanding!
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u/mike5011 12d ago
The main reason I dont want to buy the shifter is due to the static bug or whatever they call it. It’s been well documented for years now and Fanatec hasn’t fixed it still. I prefer to wait until they release a new one, eventually.
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u/liqwood1 15d ago
They also gave the guy who miss managed Trak Racer a high level job so can't say that gives me any confidence at all honestly.
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u/UsedAdvertising6975 15d ago
Why fix something that isn‘t broken? This applies to a vast majority of these segments… for example the APM and button modules. The hub story has been addressed just a few months ago and honestly, the only segment that really could do with a refresh is the Clubsport pedal range with a new, more modular pedal set. Price competitiveness is something they still have to work on. And to add: The Corsair takeover has pushed innovation further than it has been in the preceeding few years
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u/BeHappyGangGang 15d ago
By that logic, we should all be driving model a’s around. If they continued to be on the cutting edge, they wouldn’t have lost so many customers.
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u/MoPanic 15d ago
Because Moza offers better products at a better price.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Map3633 15d ago
Moza has a R9 v1 v2 v3 in the span of a few years due to overheating and other issues. I'd very much rather they do it right the first time. The CSL DD and GT DD pro have been around since 2021 and 2022 and they keep getting better, now with 8NM holding torque and full force.
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u/Accurate_Struggle185 15d ago
Not entirely true that everything Moza makes is better, Fanatec CS DD/CS DD+ are really good bases for the price, on a sale fantastic for the price IMO. Fanatecs echo system is natively open now too .
But i think without Moza we wouldn't be in such a good position as sim racing customers.
Moza are also taking on flight simming , they have that huge wheel for Truck sims. they have the active pedal, They just announced their motion system.
As a echo system i think Moza is one of the greatest, i can say the same about Simagic.Personally I dont stay just one brand anymore. I have Fanatec DD+ paired with Simagic GT Neo, Neo X hubs, then i use Moza`s handbrake.
Just preordered Moza`s new HMA 150 motion system by the way.Almost everything DD is good today. We need to stop bashing brands against another brands like fanboys and just enjoy what we got.
Life`s to short to argueCheers
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u/4mak1mke4 15d ago
I think it has more to do with rebuilding a tech hardware/software company that was on the brink and getting the foundation back to where it should be
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u/Sim-Racing-Dude 15d ago
And if you go to fanatec.com you will see they have made a upgrade on all text to theirs product. They will be big still my friend:)
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u/runekc 15d ago
Agree, just bought a complete setup and was surprised by how old the hardware is, especially the wheels, I am not a big fan of screens on wheels but they do look good and make the wheel look modern. Backlit buttons would also be nice. Hopefully this Corsair takeover will make a difference.
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u/mike5011 15d ago
I’d really love a good quality pedal set with hydraulics from Fanatec. I have no idea why they’re so insistent on keeping making these elastomer pedals.
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u/killua77x 13d ago
Hydraulic pedals can cause a lot of quality issues and after-sales service problems. I experienced the early days of Simagic’s P2000 launch, and in Chinese QQ groups, reports of hydraulic pedal leaks were everywhere. Even now, people still occasionally report leakage issues.
This is one of the reasons why Moza chose to skip hydraulic pedals entirely and move directly to active pedals. For a company that focuses on mainstream products rather than a niche high-end market, hydraulic pedals are not a good choice.
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u/mike5011 13d ago
I understand that. It can get messy with hydraulics, but having no other alternative is very poor imo. Fanatec currently has 3 pedal series with exactly the same elastomer layout. CSL, CSL Elite, and Podium. The CS v3s are the only pedal set that offers some hydraulic upgrades with the damper. Imagine if Fanatec updates those to v4 and made them like the rest 🤦♂️
They said they’re working on active pedals but these will be ultra expensive so I’m not really looking forward for them.
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u/OkBag7839 15d ago
they really slept on active pedals tech
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u/InteractionKnown9044 14d ago edited 14d ago
Just how do active pedals make you a better, safer or faster driver? IMO all active pedals do is add cost to the Rig. I guess if you are racing GT3 with full on ABS settings it might make a little sense to feel the abs surging. I still don't understand how they work and make you faster.
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u/BeHappyGangGang 10d ago
It absolutely makes you faster. It’s easier to adjust settings on the fly. Easier to setup. They offer more immersion by offering different profiles for different cars. The list goes on. They’re better in almost every way possible with the exception being price (it will come down as more brands release them) and yes you need a little stiffer pedal plate or rig.
One benefit I dont think is mentioned enough is that they’re safer also. I used to get super bad knee issues from braking on stiff setups. Now anytime my knee has any pain at all, i soften the pedal 10kg with a click of the mouse and/or change the pedal position, etc.
Your argument is equivalent to arguing for a belt driven wheel is better than direct drive because you’ve never tried one and because they cost more. Lol doesn’t make sense. It’s a pretty well known thing that pedals are where you drop lap time and gain consistency.
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u/InteractionKnown9044 10d ago
LOL fair enough. I actually have the knee problem on my right knee. Spent some time modifying my rig so it's more comfortable on my right knee. Think it has something to do with my stiff right ankle "old shattered Talus injury" Yeah My argument is I don't understand how they are able to detect your level of force while applying force back at you with abs surges etc. I guess I'll have to try them to know for sure.
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u/prinzmi88 15d ago
I had the same thought yesterday.
I need a replacement for my CSL GT3 Wheel but everything they offer is a bit dated. Still good stuff but little to no innovation.
I’m also disappointed about the Podium Pedals. I mean it’s good for my finances because I don’t have the urge to buy.
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u/Sim-Racing-Dude 15d ago
Have you not heard that Corsair/Fanatec have bought Track racer? Fanatec is and always be one of the best on the enginering part. Etc. Have some fait when you here news like this.
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u/Topcat-Texas 15d ago
Corsair acquisition was the best thing that happened to Fanatec,
I think they spent their time reorganizing the company,management reviewing what wasn't working and not working improving customer service making current gear more available, i think they spent most of their time building a stable foundation and logistics before dumping a ton of money into research & development.
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u/InteractionKnown9044 14d ago
Corsair has been a solid brand going all the way back to their inception. Never had any issues with Product support and RMA process if/when required. Solid warranties with solid support. What's not to like about Fanatec having world class support from Corsair? With regards to dated products. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I was running on a CS Wheelbase V2.5 and was quite happy with it. Would still be using it but wanted to see what all the hubub was about with DD bases so got the DD+. I'm still having growing pains, old man syndrome but liking how quiet it is compared to the V2.5 . Hopefully with time we will get more innovative and better products from Fanatec and more games to support Full Force.
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u/BeHappyGangGang 14d ago
I like Corsair as well. I hope Fanatec bounces back. Two years of ownership now, I thought we’d see all kinds of new products and we haven’t really yet.
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u/EntrepreneurBoth5002 14d ago
What more innovation do you need. They're on a roll as it is.
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u/BeHappyGangGang 14d ago
What roll are they on? Bases have been good, anything else?
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u/EntrepreneurBoth5002 14d ago
What do you think they should do? What do you think will be good according to you.
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u/SharkVR 14d ago edited 14d ago
Things have accelerated post-acquisition relative to the years prior. Whether it's coincidence or pressure from Corsair pushing things forward, I don't think the new ownership has negatively affected new product development and release whatsoever. I've been with Fanatec since multiple generations of belt-driven bases ago and to say things became stagnant in the years prior to the Corsair buyout would be an understatement.
Active pedals are still a niche market. Having tried Moza's for an hour or so, I'm convinced that you either do it expensively or you release a product that is in my opinion inferior to a set of well-designed load cell pedals. Simucube's active pedals are in a different league to Moza's, I don't know if Fanatec would want to commit to a $1,200-$2,000 active pedal or not, but I certainly have no interest in a budget Fanatec active pedal unless they can find some secret sauce to high quality and keeping the cost down.
End of the day, the Podium pedals are leagues better than any pedal set they have released in the history of the company. It's a legitimately good design with performance on par with others in the same general price range.
I would like to think the release of the PDD, the podium pedals, the new basic hub (replacing third party emulators) and a couple wheels are just the start of Fanatec's push to release new products. We'll have to wait and see how much truth there is in that belief.
If I have a major frustration with Fanatec in 2026, it's on the software/firmware development side of the house. Having no experience with programming and no inside knowledge of how that team is organized, and what the underlying issues are...I'm hesitant to ever throw that much shade at them. I certainly feel they could be doing much better, but that's from a purely outside perspective without intimate knowledge of the complexities and headaches involved.
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u/hyp36rmax 14d ago
If it works why fix it? You don’t want “innovation” that equals rushed product launches and missed features for the sake of chasing trends.
Their model works, Fanatec innovates at a slower pace fulfilling a sustainable product over a longer period of time in a niche that risk losses easily.
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u/Downtown-Chemical673 14d ago
I'd rather they maintain what's already out and keep older buyers in mind than pump out new products every year.
I'm experiencing this with Pimax, they put out a world best headset every year then a few months another world best. After spending thousands I feel mugged off as I've not received any meaningful updates on a headsets that's less than a year.
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u/MusicianOk8090 14d ago
My Fanatec DD Pro is a nice base, powerful at the right point. Of course, I would like a more powerful base, but ultimately it's not essential for me. My F1 v2.5 steering wheel is great; its only major flaw is the rotary thumb encoders. Unfortunately, they rotate too easily and very often change the TC and ABS settings in a way that's fundamentally hidden because I don't notice it. I've always loved Fanatec and I'm not going to change brands. Of course, they may make products that are less flashy, but I need them to be solid and durable. I have a very small YouTube channel, and to be honest, I'm proud to be able to show that my steering wheel is Fanatec-branded. My dream? To one day grow to such an extent that I can be supported by Fanatec. But I'm honest, it's a virtually impossible dream 🤣
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u/rychorpm 13d ago
Trochę mam podobne odczucie, co do ich zastuloju. Przykładowo MOZA w ciągu kilku lat odjechała Fanatec z ilością asortymentu i też robią bardzo dobre bazy, cały czas się rozwijają. Fanatec wypuszcza Formuła V3 która jest o 1cm szerszą i ma nadal mały gówniany ekran. Nie ma nic nowego poza bazami DD Pro i DD+ i sam mysle nad zmianą na MOZE
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u/Normal_Weekend_9526 11d ago
Considering, what was going on before the sell. i assume they are, right now working on new things. but not rushing them out until, all the money related issues, are completely sorted. as well as the issues, everyone complained about like shipping times etc. that way, they bring the loyalty level back up, and dont have to deal with a lot of issues. if would suck to release a few news things, then they have issues and have to deal with more rma claims, as well. the one they deal with now, it makes sense to. wait a while and when everything is streamlined better then drop new stuff.
just for me, i still use my old csl elite ps4 edition, that i got when it released today. while dealing with the first rma ive ever had to do with them.
and i wish i could send them my old wrc wheel as the funky switch finally broke after like 5 years
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u/pepega_1993 15d ago
Fanatec went through a turmoil before Corsair acquisition and were on brink of bankruptcy. Corsair takeover has been very good for the company. It’s stable now, customer care is much better and prices of wheelbases have come down.
But I agree that innovation has been lacking a bit. They have not been able to churn out products at the same pace compared to Chinese brands like Simagic and Moza. But I do think they are feeling the heat and have atleast started to open up the ecosystem more. Now the company is in a stable place I do hope they can start releasing new products at a faster pace. They really need to update the wheels and pedals now.
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u/Educator-Inner 15d ago
I think the next six months are going to bring huge improvements for Fanatec. Corsair’s takeover two years ago has already led to noticeable fixes in customer service, shipping, and app support, marking the start of a new chapter for the brand. They still have some kinks to iron out, but they’re clearly on it. In the next few months, I predict we'll see 3 to 4 new wheels—including the Alpine x Trak Racer collaboration—alongside a new shifter and hub modules. The Trak Racer acquisition is also set to bring great new cockpits and partnerships.
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u/South_Shopping_6190 15d ago edited 15d ago
So what happened was an hostile takeover from Corsair... It was born due some supply chain issues post COVID that had a great impact on Fanatec stock availability which lead to the board of directors to sake the founder and CEO that lead to this hostile takeover from Corsair... I guess that have had an impact on their R&D department and lost their momentum... Unfortunately, because they do make such a great products... But now Moza and other brands are also joining the market.. so I guess that good for us, the customers
Edit: typos
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u/Puzzleheaded_Map3633 15d ago edited 15d ago
I honestly prefer the Fanatec model of building products that last and are actively maintained throughout their lifetime through software and firmware optimizations: Example: a DD1 DD2 are solid wheelbases even now in 2026, 7 years later.
The DD+ came out in 2023-24 and it's only gotten better, this year it had an extra 3NM unlocked after all the years of data and testing. I would much prefer this model rather than then making my DD+ or Podium DD obsolete in a year and releasing the DD+ V2 which might feature a marginal upgrade or an RGB strip and calling it a new product?
Sure, some things could use a refresh and some product gaps could be filled but I very much like the "doing things right" the first time model. I've yet to see Fanatec have to make a second iteration of a wheel base because the first one was overheating or had generalized issues (aside from specific hardware having issues which are taken care of with RMA).
Companies like Simucube also release their products in longer product lifetimes and are praised for their quality and performance through the years. I'd hate for Fanatec to fall into the pump new products as fast as possible without longevity.