Overview

Logitech Enters in Round Two

Unlike many gaming genres, racing games have a fairly strong connection to real-world entertainment. While one is not likely to understand actually going postal a la Quake III, driving fast is something that most adults can appreciate. To truly enjoy the racing genre however, a steering wheel peripheral is a necessity, and unfortunately too many gamers forgo the essential.

Whenever I am at a LAN party, I can't help but laugh watching gamers, hunched over their keyboard, racing furiously, jamming the arrow keys. Racing games just aren't the same without a real driving wheel. Granted, not everyone can afford a driving wheel, and I'm hesitant to come off as a high-tech snob, however, recent prices on these devices have fallen significantly to the point where they're within most people's reach. One such wheel is Logitech's Wingman Formula Force GP, a full-featured force feedback wheel that can be found for under $80 online.

Wheels always come in big boxes

Until recently, finding a high-end force feedback driving wheel for under $120 was impossible. Cheaper, non-force feedback wheels have always been easy to come by for $40-100, but force feedback always had stayed a little out of the reach of the average gamer's budget. This price shift occurred in part because development in the driving wheel sector has slowed significantly over the last year. This resulted in a gradual decline in the prices of wheels currently on the market. Two and three years ago, driving wheels were a hot commodity, with most controller companies introducing a "new and exciting" wheel. Since the industry has reached a plateau in terms of performance and features, prices have fallen, finally making force feedback available to the masses. Logitech's Wingman Formula Force GP is an excellent example of this, being a refresh of their earlier, more expensive Formula Force wheel.