2025 has been a significant year for Fanatec, marked by both product announcements and the ongoing recovery from the financial difficulties the company experienced in 2024. New hardware has been revealed, existing product lines have been refined, and the company's official GT7 partnership remains active with continued focus on PlayStation-compatible hardware. Here is everything announced and released in 2025.
Background: Fanatec's Recovery and Current State
Fanatec, the brand operated by Endor AG, went through a challenging period in 2024 with financial restructuring. By 2025, the company has stabilized under new ownership and management, and is actively developing new products. The brand's core product lines — ClubSport, Podium, and the Gran Turismo licensed products — remain available and are receiving new additions.
This context matters because Fanatec's 2025 announcements represent a genuine forward-looking push from a company re-establishing itself in the sim racing hardware market.
The Gran Turismo DD Extreme: Fanatec's PS5 Flagship
Already launched but worth covering as it remains Fanatec's flagship PlayStation-compatible product, the Gran Turismo DD Extreme is a bundle that pairs the ClubSport DD+ wheel base with a Gran Turismo-specific steering wheel designed in partnership with Polyphony Digital.
Gran Turismo DD Extreme Specifications:
- Wheel base: ClubSport DD+ with 15 Nm continuous torque
- Peak torque: 15 Nm (the ClubSport DD+ maintains this consistently due to advanced thermal management)
- Steering wheel: GT-specific design with 300 mm diameter, premium vegan leather rim
- Wheel features: Four 5-way directional sticks, RGB LED rings, RGB RevLEDs, FlagLEDs, 2.7" OLED display
- Platform compatibility: Officially licensed for PS5 and PS4. Compatible with PC.
- Price: $1,299 (wheel base and wheel only — pedals sold separately)
The Gran Turismo DD Extreme uses Fanatec's FullForce technology, which specifically integrates with Gran Turismo 7's force feedback API to deliver more nuanced and realistic road surface detail than standard force feedback implementations.
The partnership with Polyphony Digital means the GT DD Extreme is the only officially licensed direct-drive solution for GT7 on PS5. This matters because PS5 is locked to PlayStation-licensed hardware for racing wheels — third-party wheels do not work on PlayStation without a license agreement.
Podium DD Wheel Base: Revealed at SimRacing Expo 2025
The biggest Fanatec announcement of 2025 came at the SimRacing Expo 2025, where Fanatec officially revealed the Podium DD — a new flagship wheel base designed to replace the Podium Wheel Base DD2 as the company's top-tier offering.
Podium DD Key Specifications
- Continuous torque: 25 Nm
- Peak torque: 33 Nm (overshoot)
- Construction: All-aluminum construction throughout — internal bearing seats, motor shaft, external casing with diamond-cut accents
- Motor design: Custom-designed servo motor with optimized skew angle on rotor magnets to reduce cogging torque
- Technology: Fanatec's patented FluxBarrier technology for reduced magnetic interference
- Footprint: Same compact size as the ClubSport DD despite significant power increase
- Connectivity: Compatible with all Fanatec wheels with QR2 connection
- Platform: PC only (no console compatibility)
Why the Podium DD Matters
The Podium DD sits above the ClubSport DD+ in Fanatec's lineup, targeting professional sim racers, esports competitors, and enthusiasts who want the absolute maximum force feedback strength available from a consumer product.
25 Nm of continuous torque is a very significant number. For comparison:
- The ClubSport DD+ delivers 15 Nm
- The Podium Wheel Base DD1 (its predecessor) delivered 20 Nm peak
- The Podium DD2 delivered 25 Nm peak
The new Podium DD delivers 25 Nm continuously — meaning it sustains that output without thermal throttling even in extended use sessions. The 33 Nm peak figure represents the momentary force spikes that occur during curb strikes and high-speed surface changes.
The FluxBarrier technology addresses a known limitation of direct drive motors: cogging, which is the slight "notchy" feeling caused by the motor's internal magnetic structure. Reduced cogging means the wheel center feels smoother and subtle force feedback details are more clearly transmitted.
Launch Timeline
The Podium DD is targeting a Q1 2026 launch. Pricing had not been officially confirmed at time of writing. Based on the specifications and positioning above the DD2, it is expected to be priced in the range of $800–$1,100 for the wheel base alone.
Podium Pedals: Revealed Alongside the Podium DD
At the same SimRacing Expo 2025 reveal, Fanatec also unveiled the Podium Pedals — a three-pedal set designed to match the Podium DD in quality and capability.
Podium Pedals Key Features
- Load cell brake: The brake pedal uses a load cell sensor (measuring force applied rather than distance traveled), which is the gold standard for sim racing brake feel
- Adjustable pedal geometry: Face angle, distance, and dead zone all adjustable
- High-resolution sensors: Hall effect sensors on throttle and clutch for maximum precision
- Construction: All-aluminum pedal faces and frame
- Connectivity: USB with high polling rate for minimal input latency
Load cell brakes fundamentally change how braking feels in simulation. Real car brakes respond to force — how hard you push. Potentiometer-based sim pedals respond to travel — how far you push. Load cells replicate the real car behavior and allow much more precise brake modulation, particularly in the critical threshold braking zone just before lockup.
Launch: Also targeting Q1 2026, alongside the Podium DD.
ClubSport DD+ Updates and Refinements
The ClubSport DD+ — the current mid-tier direct drive option — received driver software updates through 2025 that improved its performance with specific titles, including enhanced GT7 integration.
The ClubSport DD+ remains Fanatec's recommended direct drive option at its price point ($499 wheel base, separate from steering wheels and pedals). It delivers the 15 Nm of consistent torque that the GT DD Extreme bundle uses, and is compatible with PC alongside the PlayStation-licensed variant.
Fanatec's GT7 Ecosystem: What You Need for PS5
Because GT7 is on PS5 and PS5 requires licensed hardware, Fanatec's PlayStation licensing agreement makes them one of the very few companies selling compatible direct-drive wheels for PS5. Here is the current ecosystem for GT7:
| Product | Type | PS5 Compatible | Price (approx.) | |---------|------|---------------|-----------------| | GT DD Extreme Bundle | DD Wheel + Wheel | Yes | $1,299 | | ClubSport DD+ | Wheel Base (PC) | No (without GT wheel) | $499 | | CSL DD (5 Nm/8 Nm) | Wheel Base | Via GT DD Pro wheel | From $349 | | ClubSport Pedals V3 | Pedals | Yes (USB) | $199 | | ClubSport Pedals V3 inverted | Pedals | Yes (USB) | $249 |
For GT7 on PS5, the entry-level Fanatec path starts with the CSL DD wheel base paired with the GT DD Pro wheel rim — total cost around $500–$600 before pedals. The GT DD Extreme at $1,299 is the premium PS5-specific option.
What the Sim Racing Hardware Market Looks Like in 2025
Fanatec is not alone in the direct drive space. The competition has intensified with Moza Racing, Simagic, and Simucube all offering strong alternatives. However, for PS5 compatibility specifically, Fanatec's PlayStation license is a significant exclusive advantage — competitors' direct drive bases do not work with PS5.
PC sim racers have more options: Moza's R5 and R9 bases offer excellent value at $299 and $449 respectively. Simagic's Alpha Mini competes in the same range. These are strong alternatives if you race on PC.
For console GT7 racers — which is most of the game's audience — Fanatec's GT-licensed products remain the only direct-drive option.
Looking Ahead to 2026
With the Podium DD and Podium Pedals targeting Q1 2026 launch, Fanatec is setting up for a significant refresh of its top-tier lineup. Whether the Podium DD will eventually receive a PlayStation-compatible variant (as the ClubSport DD+ does through the GT DD Extreme configuration) is unconfirmed.
The Gran Turismo partnership shows no signs of ending — the GT DD Extreme launched with GT7 specifically in mind, and any future Gran Turismo titles would logically continue this relationship.
Fanatec's 2025 demonstrates that the company has moved past its 2024 difficulties and is actively investing in next-generation hardware. For sim racers who have been holding off purchasing a Fanatec product due to concerns about the company's stability, 2025's hardware reveals suggest the brand is on a forward trajectory.
