GameSir is putting a Direct Drive sim racing wheel on a controller, all because a high schooler developed it in their dorm room

The GameSir SwiftDrive controller in its reveal trailer — (Image credit: GameSir)

CES is pretty much guaranteed to shine a spotlight on some of the most bizarre tech and futuristic gaming concepts we humans have collectively thought of in the last year. So far, one of the biggest talking points of CES 2026 in the gaming hardware realm has been an upcoming product from GameSir, which is taking one of the best PC controllers, slapping a Direct Drive sim racing wheel on it, and becoming the talk of the town.

The GameSir Swift Drive is exactly that. From the reveal trailer that was originally put up to tease CES back at the start of December, it looks as though the brand has taken the now-discontinued GameSir Tarantula Pro's body, shoved a small Direct Drive steering wheel into its innards, and stepped on the toes of the best PC racing wheels.

Force Feedback Direct Drive Wheel on a controller, more early prototype showcase/follow-up from r/simracing

What's perhaps more interesting than the product itself, which doesn't have an official release date or price yet, is the story of how it was developed.

As it turns out, a Reddit post on r/SimRacing from user "B-Core" outlines how they developed the concept while working on a high school project, developing it with their own 3D printing, open source software, and minimal experience.

"I have this idea and build some stripped down version of this back in highschool, cuz I live in a super mini dorm but my friends always invits me to AC or Elite dangerous sessions, so I really wish I could get a wheel/flight setup." They said.

Some time later, this person got in touch with GameSir, securing a funding grant for the idea, and, now at CES, the controller is one of the biggest attractions for one of the biggest controller brands at the show.

The Reddit post may be giving the game away slightly, because even though B-Core hasn't given out official details, he seems to suggest that the Swift Drive will retail for around $150 - which would make it GameSir's most expensive controller currently on the shelves.

This could be a huge win for sim racing fans who don't want the extra expense and faff of a full wheel and pedal setup. With Direct Drive, you get accurate feedback and resistance while steering, which could help to give players the extra step in immersion they're looking for when it comes to sim racing hardware.

I do have to admit, though, that this does look pretty similar in concept to the Thrustmaster eSwap XR, albeit without the fancy technical aspects. In fact, as novel as the Swift Drive seems, the idea of putting a steering wheel on a gamepad isn't exactly new. The Namco Jogcon was a thing long before this.

A GameSir Racing wheel and Direct Drive controller next to one another — (Image credit: GameSir)

Rather cryptically, GameSir's announcement trailer for the Swift Drive also shows off what looks like a fully fledged racing wheel setup. At first, I thought this might just be a concept, more than a fully-fledged incoming product. But the title of the video does point towards two new products, with the F1-style wheel potentially being called the Turbo Drive. The description of the video reads "The SHIFT is coming" - perhaps pointing towards this brand's shift into the sim racing world?

For more on the latest gamepads, check out the best PS5 controllers, the best Xbox Series X controllers, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers.

One of my earliest memories is playing SuperMario64 and wondering why the controller I held had three grips, but I only had two hands. Ever since I've been in love with video games and their technology. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, I contributed to the Scottish Games Network and completed an Editorial Internship at Expert Reviews. Over the last decade, I’ve been managing my own YouTube channel about my love of games too. These days, I'm one of the resident hardware nerds at GamesRadar+, and I take the lead on our coverage of gaming PCs, VR, controllers, gaming chairs, and content creation gear. Now, I better stop myself here before I get talking about my favourite games like HUNT: Showdown, Dishonored, and Towerfall Ascension.

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