Alongside its new pedals and Red Bull hardware at the 2026 SimRacing Expo in Frankfurt, Fanatec pulled back the curtain on Project Obsidian—an all-new prototype steering wheel targeting a 2027 launch that breaks away from the brand's decade-old ClubSport Formula layout.
Named after volcanic black glass, Project Obsidian centers around a seamless, edge-to-edge black glass faceplate housing a large 5-inch color LCD touchscreen (1280x720), accompanied by the most requested software shift in company history: native SimHub compatibility.
Why is native SimHub support such a big deal for a Fanatec wheel?
Historically, Fanatec locked its wheel displays behind proprietary FanaLab software. Project Obsidian is engineered from the ground up for native SimHub integration, transferring live telemetry over USB on PC or via Wi-Fi (UDP telemetry) so console racers can run custom dashboards too.
What controls and paddles are packed onto the Project Obsidian chassis?
Built around an all-aluminum structure, the wheel features RGB-backlit buttons derived from the BMW M4 GT3 wheel, four front rotary encoders with illuminated rings, four thumbwheels, dual 7-way FunkySwitches, and a six-paddle rear module with magnetic shifters, upper auxiliary paddles, and dual analog clutches.
Where will Project Obsidian sit in Fanatec's price hierarchy in 2027?
While Fanatec's previous large-screen wheel (the Podium Bentley GT3) was an ultra-expensive halo piece, Fanatec confirmed Project Obsidian is being developed as a mid-range ClubSport-level product aimed squarely at competitors from Simagic, Moza, and Asetek.
Closing the Screen Gap in the ClubSport Tier
For years, Fanatec drivers who wanted a modern 5-inch dash screen built directly into their GT or Formula rim had to either bolt on an aftermarket screen or look outside the ecosystem. By combining a flush black-glass 720p display, six rear paddles, and open SimHub support into a ClubSport-tier package for 2027, Project Obsidian signals a welcome new direction under Corsair's stewardship.
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