Mad Catz: Microsoft ceasing production of Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel

"I have to use my words carefully -- you'll have to check with Microsoft for further information," began Alex Verrey, Mad Catz global PR manager, in an interview with Joystiq today, "but it's Mad Catz's understanding that Microsoft are exiting the wheel market. So, Microsoft are no longer going to be producing their first-party wireless wheel for 360." (We've contacted Microsoft for further details.)

Of course, this revelation follows Mad Catz's E3 announcement of its own "Mad Catz Wireless Racing Wheel" (pictured) for Xbox 360, designed by its Saitek division (also known as the Mad Catz UK-based R&D group). Saitek is Mad Catz's "pro gaming" brand and specializes in simulation equipment. "We tried very hard to make it not look or feel like a toy," explained Verrey. "It's got a real industrial design."

The Mad Catz wheel is licensed to use the same wireless technology employed in first-party Xbox 360 peripherals and is estimated to operate some 40 hours off of three AA batteries. The wheel has "tiptronic" gear shift paddles in the back, but also includes an interchangeable gear shift that can be secured to either side of the base, as well as an accelerator and brake pedal attachment. Additionally, the package includes a desk mount and lap-rest supports.

The Mad Catz Wireless Racing Wheel is expected to be released "before the holiday season" this year and won't be tied to a specific racing game or franchise, confirmed Verrey. It will retail for $130.

Reader Comments (33)

I might pick this up if only for the real manual gear shift.

http://www.fanatec.de/
They're very well noted for their quality, but unfortunately not for their reliability.
1 out of 2 still makes it better than a Mad Catz. The Fanatec wheels are SUPER nice, though!

Gay! Let us use the damn G27 already. all these wheels sucks ass.

Well, that sucks.

At least Madcatz has picked it up a bit in the quality department lately.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze That's because they bought Saitek, which had acceptable quality.

That said, their Cyborg Commander pad feels cheap and uncomfortable, however.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

I was told before Christmas by a MS rep they were stopping production of these wheels - I've had my official Force Feedback wheel for a long time - I'm not sure this Mad Catz wheel has Force Feedback?

Either way, its a shame, its an amazing peripheral. I suspect it just didn't sell to well as its pretty expensive and niché.

I love my wheel, amazing fun on Forza, can't wait for F1 2010 this year!

Who needs a wheel with Natal?

@(Unverified)
People who don't want to look like third graders playing pretend racecar driver. VROOM VROOM. BEEP BEEP.

@(Unverified)

People who want a good driving experience that is guaranteed to work all the time and feel really good as well?

@(Unverified) to be honest, i really don't understand how it works... how do you maintain a speed, or brake or anything with no controller?

natal has some very interesting tech if they can incorporate in the use of the xbox controller as well.. i.e. control the game, use natal for leaning over corners, checking your mirrors, i don't know.. but as a stand alone (no pun intended) controller, i'm just not seeing it get past the fitness and activity games.

@(Unverified)
I noticed a slight delay in the Forza demo with Natal. For any simulation fan, that's an issue. You can't compare the real thing (a steering wheel) to turning air.

@(Unverified) how bout racing wheel + head tracking. Just to make the 1st person view more realistic.

yeah...force feedback on a good steering wheel is priceless. But it really is only for simulation...aka...Forza. Nobody wants to play burnout paradise with a wheel. 130$ isn't bad...but ain't great either.

@stoppre

Uh, I want to play Burnout with a wheel. What makes that any different than any other driving game? They were all meant to be played with a steering wheel.

@stoppre

Playing Burnout with the MS force feedback wheel is hideous and horrible.

Playing Forza, DiRT, NFS:Shift is quite delicious.

@stoppre Gordo speaks truth.

The first thing I did when I got my racing wheel was stick in any game that could ever be considered a racing game.
If the game was made too early, or is too arcade... it sucks with a wheel.

All the burnouts and need for speed most wanted are the first to come to mind.
Dirt, Grid, and forza,however, are pretty excellent with the wheel.
PGR falls somewhere in the middle. It's not as natural with a wheel... but you can get decent with it with tons of practice.

Kinect, The end on controllers. Next thing you know, Microsoft is gonna stop shipping Controllers with systems.

The wheel design looks ugly...

I don't really understand how someone would want to play a racing simulator like Forza 3 with the Kinect camera instead of the wireless racing wheel. Split second timing and proficiency with the controller are especially important in games like this... and as solid as Kinect may be you would imagine there are probably still some detection issues with sticking your hands out in front of your face and turning them on nothing. Plus you don't get any of the tactile feedback that you do with the racing wheel. Seems like an obvious choice to me.

The different car inspection mechanics they showed off with the Kinect look really slick though.

i'm afraid this Kinect business is going to turn ugly.

@redking315

It already went Turn 10.

@redking315 must have been a right turn, the went straight for the wall, and that's that.

With this in mind....I hope Logitech updates their wheels in time for GT5.

@Nomi
What needs to be fixed on the G27?

@Nomi lol...I meant the cheaper GT wheel, I'm not baller enough to afford the G27.

They need you to buy the G28.

I'll just use Kinect.

Quite a few Best Buys have discounted the MS force feedback wheel to $50.

I just wish I could use my Driving Force Pro with Forza. Maybe they can support it now if MS doesn't have an official wheel anymore?

I could kinda use a clutch here. If there isn't one in this I'm not going to bother since I already have the old microsoft one.

last holiday strangest thing happened to me and i got brand new DriveFX cheaper than ordinary game for Xbox. I compared it with MSRW afterwards and couldn't name a reason why first-party thing is superior (though it is my understanding that DFX works in some other way).

Forza 3 already support clutch pedals, but, untill now, we have only one option with clutch and sequential gearbox...WHT?

Wow. They didn't mention clutch pedals? FAIL!.. And to think that they finally made a descent wheel for the 360.. 'whatevs'. Every time a steering wheel is in the market; it is always missing something.. =/

I'm better off just grabbing a PS3 & G25 when TDU2 comes out..

Mad Catz: Microsoft ceasing production of Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel

Reader Comments (33)

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:38PM ubercharged said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 10:08PM AoFSquall said

Posted: Jun 17th 2010 4:03PM Karl Pilkington said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:41PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:52PM Hedgeson said

Posted: Jun 17th 2010 4:17AM maty said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:45PM Usr666 said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:48PM Grey said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:48PM PhilipJWitow said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:53PM Omnistatic said

Posted: Jun 17th 2010 1:11AM ALBGunner04 said

Posted: Jun 17th 2010 2:39AM JamesHks said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:54PM stoppre said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:58PM tendoboy1984 said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 10:57PM GordoJones88 said

Posted: Jun 17th 2010 12:47PM Tephlon said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:58PM The MARIO said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 9:59PM SliPaladin said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 10:07PM nembutals said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 10:13PM redking315 said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 10:55PM GordoJones88 said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 10:57PM redking315 said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 10:14PM Nomi said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 10:27PM drater said

Posted: Jun 17th 2010 8:37AM Nomi said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 11:37PM Dafrety said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 10:53PM kspraydad said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 11:08PM GordoJones88 said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 11:19PM Wubby said

Posted: Jun 16th 2010 11:27PM Aperture said

Posted: Jun 17th 2010 4:30AM vch said

Posted: Jun 17th 2010 7:35AM SewerShark said

Posted: Jul 6th 2010 2:28PM JKiD said

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