Asetek Racing shows Xbox wheel prototype, clarifies Initium compatibility

After stunning the sim racing market with its first product in 2021, the high-end Invicta pedals, Asetek SimSports has proceeded to evolve with wheels, wheel bases and three levels of product.

Last week, 20th August, its fourth sub-brand, the entry-level Initium, was unveiled. It includes a new 5.5Nm wheel base, a booster kit for 8Nm, a new round wheel, its first cockpit, its first seat and a new set of budget-friendly pedals.

However, the Danish company has only showcased the PC-compatible bundle so far.

At Gamescom, Traxion was able to grab a quick look at the Xbox-branded steering wheel in prototype form.

The said wheel will help make the device function on the Microsoft consoles. It looks to be identical to the existing design, but with the Xbox logo, the brand-specific X, A, Y and B icons and then the menu and view buttons.

There is no release date yet for the Xbox version, although it is expected before the end of the year.

Initium wheel compatibility

Since the announcement of the new range, there has been some confusion regarding which Asetek wheels can work with the Initium base. On PC, this has been clarified as every wheel or button box is produced without a built-in screen.

Or in other words, the entire range, using the innovative quick release system apart from two: The €629 Forte Formula Pro and the €1,249 Invicta.

“All non-display wheels are compatible,” said André Eriksen, Asetek’s Chief Executive Officer and Founder to Traxion.

“To make the Initium work with wheels with screens would require more electronics to communicate, and since this is a low-end product, we didn’t deem it necessary.

“But you could still use a Forte Formula Steering Wheel, for example, and likewise if I had the Forte wheelbase, but I have a kid at home who wants a smaller rim, you can use the Initium wheel on that. So you can mix and match.”

The PC-only (for now) Initium bundles are available right now, and there’s also the company’s first cockpit, too, with the stated aim of offering everything (apart from a monitor) in one bundle for €1,179.

Asetek Racing branding

At Gamescom, new branding was shown, with Asetek Racing replacing Asetek SimSports, to go along with the fresh product range.

“These types of products [Initium] are obviously going into retail and are more mass-market, and people saw SimSport and asked, ‘What is that?’, so that’s why we’ve changed,” explained Eriksen.