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Logitech unveils Speed Force Wireless racing wheel for Wii
Up until now, Wii-owning racers have been stuck with the Wii Wheel, Brando's Wii Multi-Axis Racing System or something they cooked up in arts and crafts. Now, however, Logitech is providing a much better option for serious track stars. The Speed Force Wireless racing wheel is the first force-feedback wheel for Nintendo's latest console, and while it was designed to work with Need For Speed Undercover, it'll do just fine with future force-feedback racing titles as well. Disgustingly, you still have to plug a USB receiver into your Wii before this thing will work, but we guess that's the breaks, huh? Look for this one to pop up in November (US and Europe) for $99.99. Full release after the break.
Fanatec intros wireless Porsche 911 Turbo Racing Wheel
Sorry Mario, but your Wii Wheel just got lapped, backed over and left in the dust. Heck, even the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel looks toyish propped up next to this. Then again, neither of the previously mentioned accessories will put a $349.99 hole in your bank account, but did you really expect anything else from an officially licensed Porsche product? According to Fanatec, it took the firm seven years to acquire the license, and it required that the wheel be "the best out there." We can't judge the quality from here, but we can tell you it supports wireless USB technology and boasts a trio of force feedback motors, a 6+1 speed H-pattern gear shifter, cordless pedals, an automotive grade leather covering, a key-shaped 1GB flash drive for storing settings and compatibility with Sony's PlayStation 3 and PCs of (almost) all ages. Look at it this way: it's still probably cheaper than two tanks of premium.
Wireless racing wheel is hot, really hot [update 1]
Wireless racing wheel owners beware, your racing fun could go up in smoke. Today, Microsoft revealed that their official racing wheel can overheat causing plumes of smoke to rise from its chassis if the A/C power adapter is used. And even though nobody has been hurt by this hot racing wheel, Microsoft advises wheel owners to not use the A/C adapter and instead use battery power which hasn't been linked to overheating problems. US wireless racing wheel owners can contact Microsoft to have their wheel retrofitted, so the overheating problem can be fixed.First we had overheating Xbox 360 consoles and now we have been graced with overheating wireless racing wheels. This hot, hot, hot problem better not continue, because we'll be quite the angry (and astonished) fanboys if Microsoft announces overheating Halo 3 discs this September.Update 1: If you need a retrofit, be sure to fill out this form (pdf), send it in and wait for Microsoft to respond.
$104 wireless racing wheel spotted
While out and about this weekend our fanboy eyes were programmed to find two things: delicious looking food and great gaming deals. Both were found (the teriyaki chicken was superb) as we spotted the recently discounted Xbox 360 wireless racing wheel for the rock bottom price of $104.24 at Sam's Club. It looked as if they were clearancing out the racing wheel similar to how they are treating the 360's HD DVD player. So, if you're in the market for a cheap racing wheel, give old Sam a visit as the prices vary from store to store. Or you could always pay a little more and get it online for a reasonable $119.82. Happy bargain hunting.
Forza 2 racing wheel tuning possible through DiRT
Over on the Forza Motorsport 2 forums members are investigating a way to change the 360 racing wheel's force feedback in the Forza 2 demo. Currently, the Forza 2 demo does not allow customizable racing wheel options, but the Colin McRae DiRT demo does allowing players to change various settings. And, as such, some forum members are reporting that the DiRT demo's force feedback settings magically transfer over to the Forza 2 demo. So, if you're feeling the need for more force feedback in Forza 2, fire up DiRT, customize your racing wheel options and see if it helps your Forza 2 demo situation. Although, all this confusion could be avoided if Microsoft would integrate some sort of racing wheel options menu through the dash. You hear us Microsoft? [Thanks, thermodynamic]
Even cheaper racing wheel deals pop up
With today's announcement that the Xbox 360 wireless racing wheel received a price drop, we're seeing even lower prices hit the internet. Best Buy and Future Shop in Canada are both offering the racing wheel for a rock bottom price of $99 and website PC Nation dropped their price to roughly $104 including free shipping. We're sure there are a bunch of other deals making their way online with the news that broke today and if you find such deals please let us know. We're always up for saving a few bucks or in this case $30.[Thanks, Chris G and Tom D]
360 wheel price drops for Forza 2 release
Hardcore racing game fans can now look forward to being slightly less completely broke when Forza 2 is dropped on the masses May 29th: Microsoft has slashed $20 off of the 360 Wireless Racing Wheel's price, leaving it at $129.99. It's still high enough to make your significant other mad, just probably not so high that they'd cut you in your sleep.The game's release will also be celebrated with events June 1-3 like leaderboard tournaments, play sessions with the developers and prizes. With all this generosity, we wish a new Forza was released every week! You know, like Mega Man games.
PS3 won't support force feedback wheels
Sony recently confirmed with 1UP that PlayStation 3 will not support force feedback, a technology that is often integrated into racing wheel peripherals. The explanation was vague: "All PS3 games are programmed for the Sixaxis which doesn't have force feedback, therefore the force feedback in the wheels won't be recognized."Perhaps Sony misspoke. There aren't any console gamepads that support the type of force feedback technology built into many top-line racing wheels, so when this feature is enabled in racing games, it's an additional programming step that only benefits players using an appropriate racing wheel -- it simply doesn't matter that Sixaxis lacks full force feedback (or even simple rumble feedback). If Sony is actively dissuading developers from coding in force feedback support for racing wheels compatible with PS3, it has nothing to do with what Sixaxis lacks ... then again, it might have everything to do with what Sixaxis lacks.If indeed Immersion technologies like rumble and force feedback are never be supported by Sony's new console it's almost certainly the result of the 2003 lawsuit brought against Sony by Immersion, and the judge's denial of Sony's subsequent appeal.
Peripherals Gone Wild, caught on video
Via Robert Summa, posting wonderboy of Joystiq, we bring you this video of the latest 360 peripherals in action. You'll get to see all your favorites, including the wireless racing wheel, Vision camera, wireless headset, and the HD-DVD drive. The bulk of the video covers the soon-to-be-released Vision camera. The camera will bring all sorts of features to the 360, including personal gamer pics and video chat (in 30 FPS no less). And good news for parents -- and players who don't want to be subjected to random dongs -- parental controls are allowed that let you decide whether or not the little ones are allowed to use video chat or even see personal gamer pics at all. The wheel looks like a really nice peripheral for racing fans and the headset looks like everything you would expect. And the HD-DVD drive ... well, the HD-DVD drive looks bigger than my complete hardbound edition of Lord of the Rings.[Via Joystiq]
$40 XBL Vision camera & UNO bundle detailed by MS source along with prices & dates for other 360 accessories
Our friendly anonymous source at Microsoft has provided us with a few more details concerning the 360 accessories announced back at E3.Perhaps the most important involves the bundling of the Xbox Live Vision camera with a wired headset, the popular Live Arcade title UNO, and a month of Live Gold service for $39.99 when it releases in the States on September 19, 2006.Granted, this is still an unofficial report (based on a leak of "official" info), so understand that you're probably not gonna get much confirmation from MS until they're good and ready to give it. If you'd like information on what other peripherals are coming out "Holiday 2006" (so sometime in the 4th quarter) and at what price, read on for more.
Rumor: 360 wireless gaming receiver $20; wheel $130; headset $60; camera $40; Halo and Forza faceplates $20 [update 1]
Thanks to a reliable source from Microsoft, we've learned some important details about the new peripherals announced for the Xbox 360, including pricing and a few Halo faceplate (non)specifics. Check out the leaked info and prices below: 360 wireless gaming receiver (which enables wireless 360 controllers, headsets, and wheels on your PC): $20 Wireless racing wheel: $130 Wireless headset: $60 Xbox Live Vision Camera (with headset, one month of Live Gold, and one arcade -- presumably Xbox Live Arcade -- game): $40 New faceplates for Halo (with the Master Chief on 'em, but not Halo 3 specific) and Forza (no word on connections to the sequel): $20 each 256 MB portable memory unit (MU): no official price yet, but definitely not four times the cost of the older 64MB MU Besides acknowledging that the PC is "the biggest gaming device of all," MS appears to be setting an agressive price for its most relevant new PC accessory, the wireless gaming receiver (at least in comparison to the outrageously priced 360 wireless networking adapter). Unfortunately, no price was revealed as of yet for the USB-based HD-DVD add-on.We've speculated in our recent podcasts as to what would happen to the various 360 SKUs when price drops inevitably occur. An interesting theory bandied about by prolific Joystiq Contributor epobirs (on our earlier bump-to-256MB-MU post) was that a $20 price drop for the Core system, coupled with a $20 price drop on the 64MB MU, would finally allow folks to pick up a capable non-Premium bundle for the original $300 Core price point. (Not a bad way to undercut PS2 memory card prices, too.) We hope to get official confirmation on this info in the not-too-distant future.[Update: Sorry, had the camera price wrong in the headline; it now matches the price of the bundle listed in the body of the text below.]See also: 360's Mem Unit getting a bump to 256MB? (Comment from epobirs) Use 360 wireless peripherals with a PC Engadget & Joystiq's live coverage of Microsoft's Xbox 360 E3 event Joystiq / Engadget podcasts from Day One and Day Two of E3 2006
Hands on with the Xbox 360 Live Vision, Wireless Headset, and Racing Wheel
Microsoft's Xbox 360 HD DVD drive wasn't the only device we checked out at their post-press conference exposé. We also got to take a look at the Live Vision, Wireless Headset, Racing Wheel and Wireless Gaming Receiver up close and in person. Unfortunately for us, we were told these were all hand-built product mockups that apparently wouldn't withstand the wear and tear of a thousand or more press and partners manhandlings with chubby greasy party hands. Well, who cares, we touched the headsets anyway and they felt pretty nice, fairly light, if not a little fragile. Guess that's what we get for playing with the mockups though, right? Click on for more.
