Nobody saw this coming. GameSir, known for affordable controllers, is entering the sim racing market with two products that completely blur the line between controller and racing wheel.
At CES 2026, the company unveiled the Swift Drive and Turbo Drive , and both tackle the concept of racing peripherals in ways we haven’t seen before.
Swift Drive: Direct Drive in Your Hands
The Swift Drive looks like a normal gamepad. Familiar grips, analog sticks, D-pad and buttons. But in the center sits a miniature steering wheel with what GameSir calls “the world’s smallest direct drive motor.”
This isn’t a gimmick. The specs are serious:
- Direct drive motor with 0.2 Nm constant torque (0.4 Nm peak)
- 24-bit magnetic encoder with 65,000 levels of resolution
- 30° to 1080° rotation , adjustable per game
- Three haptic motors: one in the wheel, two in the triggers for ABS and slip simulation
- Hall-effect sensors everywhere , sticks, triggers, buttons , no drift
- 20-30 hours battery life via 2.4 GHz wireless
- RGB RPM indicator on top of the controller
The triggers pulse when you activate ABS. The wheel pushes back when you lose grip. This is force feedback in a format you can use on the couch.
For racing games, the Swift switches between XInput and D-Input modes, so it works both as a gamepad and as a “real” wheel in sims like Assetto Corsa and iRacing.
Expected price: $100-150.
Turbo Drive: Wireless Racing, Wind Included
The Turbo Drive is a full racing wheel, but without a single cable.
The package includes a wireless direct drive wheelbase with desk clamp and wireless pedals. The wheel itself has a distinctive yoke design , more rectangular than round, similar to a Formula E wheel.
The specs:
- Direct drive force feedback , no gears or belts
- Hall-effect sensors for precision input
- Fully wireless: wheelbase and pedals via 2.4 GHz
- 15 hours battery with fan on, 50 hours with fan off
- D-pad and buttons on the wheel for menu navigation
- Metal paddle shifters for gear changes
And then the craziest feature: a built-in turbine fan that blows wind at the driver, proportional to your speed in the game. At low speed a breeze, at top speed a gust. It sounds like a gimmick, but it actually adds an extra layer of immersion that no other wheel offers.
Expected price: $200-300.
How Do They Compare to Existing Options?
The Swift Drive fills a gap that didn’t really exist , or that we didn’t know existed. If you’re currently racing with a Logitech G923 or Thrustmaster T248, you have force feedback but also a whole device taking up space.
The Swift gives you real force feedback in controller format. Not as strong as a dedicated wheel, but infinitely better than thumbstick rumble.
The Turbo Drive competes more directly with entry-level direct drive setups. A Moza R5 Bundle or Fanatec CSL DD probably delivers more torque, but neither is fully wireless. The Turbo’s 50-hour battery life (without fan) makes it interesting for setups where cables are a problem.
For those seeking more power, the Moza R9 and other mid-range direct drives remain the better choice. But for portability and convenience? The Turbo Drive is unique.
Who Are These Products For?
Swift Drive:
- Racing gamers who don’t have space or budget for a full wheel
- People who want force feedback without the hassle
- Travelers who want to race on the go
- Controller users who want more precision
Turbo Drive:
- Sim racers with limited space or who hate cables
- People who frequently set up and tear down their rig
- Casual racers who want a “real” wheel experience without permanent installation
- Anyone who ever thought: “I want wind in my face while racing”
Release and Availability
GameSir hasn’t announced an exact release date yet, but both products are slated for 2026. Given the CES announcement, we expect availability in the first half of the year.
The pricing is aggressive. If GameSir can deliver the quality the specs suggest, these could become game-changers for the entry-level sim racing market.
What Does This Mean?
GameSir’s approach is bold. Instead of competing with Logitech and Thrustmaster on their own turf, they’re creating new categories.
A controller with real force feedback? Doesn’t exist , until now.
A fully wireless direct drive setup with wind simulation? Found nowhere else.
Whether this is brilliant or crazy, the market will decide. But the fact that a company outside the established order is doing these kinds of experiments is good news for the entire sim racing community.
We’ll be watching developments closely.
Curious about the current generation of sim racing wheels? Check out our complete overview of steering wheels and wheelbases and find the setup that fits you.