Gamescom 2026 begins next week. MOZA has confirmed its MotoGP simulator hardware for Cologne, Asetek has three peripherals approaching release, and several major brands have yet to reveal their late-2026 plans.
Gamescom is not a dedicated sim racing event, but it has become an important part of the hardware calendar.
Gamescom 2026 runs from 26 to 30 August at Koelnmesse in Cologne, with Opening Night Live taking place on Tuesday, 25 August. Wednesday 26 August combines trade access with limited public entry from 1pm before the full public days begin on Thursday.
With eight days remaining, these are the sim racing announcements and products worth watching.
MOZA’s MotoGP hardware is confirmed for Gamescom
MOZA has confirmed that its official MotoGP motorcycle simulation hardware will be shown at Gamescom 2026.
Teaser images released ahead of the event show a motorcycle-style simulator running a MotoGP title. Visible controls include a twist throttle, hand-operated braking and illuminated buttons integrated into the handlebars.
Several important details remain unknown. MOZA has not shown whether the system reproduces motorcycle lean, whether any movement is motorised, what feedback technology it uses or how much of the structure shown in the teasers will form part of the consumer product.
Those details are expected to become clearer in Cologne.
MOZA announced its official MotoGP partnership at Gamescom 2025 and continued discussing motorcycle simulation development at CES 2026.
Gamescom 2026 will provide the first detailed public look at the resulting hardware.
MotoGP 26 is already available
MotoGP 26 launched on 29 April 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2 and PC.
MOZA is therefore introducing its motorcycle hardware after the release of the current official MotoGP game rather than alongside a new title.
Software compatibility remains one of the main unanswered questions.
It is not yet clear whether MotoGP 26 will receive dedicated support, whether compatibility will be handled through MOZA software or which other motorcycle games will work with the hardware.
MOZA brings several other 2026 products to Cologne
The motorcycle simulator will be the main new attraction, but MOZA also enters Gamescom with several products launched earlier this year.
Its July releases included the R16 Ultra, R5 Pro and HMA150 motion system.
The MOZA R16 remains part of the company’s direct drive range, while the R5 sits closer to the entry level.
MOZA also began its official partnership with the Gran Turismo World Series on 15 August.
The company has confirmed that its first officially licensed PlayStation racing products are in development. No PS5-compatible MOZA wheel base is currently available, and no PlayStation product has been confirmed for a Gamescom reveal.
For PlayStation users, that remains a separate hardware programme to watch.
Asetek’s new shifters and handbrake are approaching release
Asetek has three peripherals approaching their commercial release window.
Asetek SimSports CEO André Eriksen said earlier this year that the company’s new sequential shifter, H-pattern shifter and handbrake were expected to become available around Gamescom.
A precise retail date has not been announced, so late August remains the expected window rather than a confirmed 26 August launch.
The three products fill categories that Asetek has not previously covered with its own hardware.
The company already sells direct drive wheel bases, steering wheels and pedals across the La Prima, Forte and Invicta families.
Users building rally or manual-shifting setups have so far needed third-party products such as the Heusinkveld sequential shifter, MOZA HBP handbrake or Fanatec ClubSport Shifter SQ V1.5.
The new peripherals will give Asetek its own options in those categories.
Asetek has already demonstrated the hardware
Asetek’s upcoming peripherals have already been shown publicly, including prototypes demonstrated at SimRacing Expo Charlotte.
The manual shifter supports H-pattern and sequential operation, while the handbrake uses a load-cell system with mechanical adjustment.
Gamescom is therefore expected to provide launch information rather than the first look at the hardware.
Asetek used Gamescom 2025 to introduce its entry-level Initium ecosystem, including the Initium Direct Drive Wheelbase.
Gamescom has become an important sim racing hardware window
CES and SimRacing Expo remain major dates for sim racing hardware, but Gamescom now sits between them as another useful launch window.
MOZA used Gamescom 2025 to present the R21 Ultra and R25 Ultra, alongside licensed hardware and partnerships with Mercedes-Benz and MotoGP.
The timing also places Gamescom before SimRacing Expo Frankfurt in October and the major Black Friday sales period in November.
For buyers considering expensive hardware, that makes late August a sensible point to reassess what is available before committing to a new ecosystem.
SimRacing Expo Frankfurt follows in October
SimRacing Expo Frankfurt takes place from 16 to 18 October, providing another major hardware event later in the year.
Fanatec, MOZA and Asetek are among the companies expected there, with CONSPIT and GT Omega also joining the exhibitor list.
That matters because not every manufacturer needs to reveal its late-2026 products at Gamescom.
Some hardware may instead be held for October.
What remains unconfirmed before Gamescom
- MOZA MotoGP pricing and release date: the hardware is confirmed for Gamescom, but final specifications, price and availability have not been announced.
- MOZA motorcycle movement: the teasers show the controls, but no lean or motorised motion system has been demonstrated.
- Software compatibility: a MotoGP title has been shown with the prototype, but the final compatibility list remains unknown.
- MOZA PlayStation hardware: officially licensed products are in development, but there is no confirmed Gamescom reveal.
- Asetek pricing and retail dates: its new shifters and handbrake are expected around Gamescom, but final launch details remain pending.
- Fanatec: no new Gamescom hardware announcement has been confirmed. The company is also due at SimRacing Expo Frankfurt in October.
- Thrustmaster: no major new sim racing hardware launch has been confirmed for Gamescom at the time of writing.
Gamescom 2026 dates and visitor information
- Dates: 26-30 August 2026, Koelnmesse, Cologne.
- Opening Night Live: Tuesday 25 August.
- Wednesday 26 August: trade and media access, with limited public access from 1pm depending on ticket type.
- Full public days: Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 August.
- Location: Koelnmesse, beside Köln Messe/Deutz station.
- Tickets: available through the official Gamescom ticket system, subject to availability.
Current hardware alternatives before Gamescom
Most established car-sim hardware remains available while the new products are being prepared.
- Entry level: the MOZA R5 and Asetek Initium sit at the more accessible end of their respective direct drive ecosystems.
- Mid range: the MOZA R16 and Asetek Forte offer higher torque without moving to the top of each range.
- High end: the MOZA R21 Ultra, Asetek Invicta and Fanatec Podium DD sit in the premium direct drive category.
- Pedals: the Asetek Invicta pedals and Heusinkveld Ultimate+ remain established high-end options.
- Rally and drift: while Asetek’s products remain pending, the MOZA SGP sequential shifter, MOZA HGP H-pattern shifter and Heusinkveld handbrake are already available.
Our full MOZA R21 Ultra review and R16 review provide more detail on MOZA’s direct drive range, while our Fanatec Podium DD review covers Fanatec’s current flagship.
For a broader comparison, our 2026 sim racing hardware guide covers the major ecosystems currently available.
MOZA’s PlayStation expansion is another development to follow. We covered the background when Polyphony clarified Fanatec’s position in the Gran Turismo World Series. The partnership is now active, but MOZA’s first licensed PlayStation products remain in development.
We will update this article as additional sim racing hardware announcements are confirmed before and during Gamescom 2026.
See you on the track!
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Great article, I wanted to add, that in the business space of Gamescom are way more Sim Racing companies involved than in the consumer area.
The organizer of Sim Racing Expo (South West Vision) is running a 1.100m² business area where Thrustmaster, Playseat, Nitro Concept, SimVerse and D-Box are present.
With many more having additional spaces, like Fanatec at Corsair or Thermaltake.