Fanatec Project Obsidian Revealed With 5-Inch Display and SimHub Support

Fanatec has revealed Project Obsidian, an upcoming steering wheel that finally brings a large integrated display to a more conventional Fanatec wheel. The prototype made its public debut at SimRacing Expo Frankfurt, with a production version currently planned for 2027.

More importantly, Fanatec says it is developing Obsidian as a ClubSport-level product. There is no price yet, but that positioning should put it considerably below something like the $1,500 Podium Bentley GT3 wheel.

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A Proper Display Wheel From Fanatec

The centerpiece is a 5-inch 1280×720 color LCD. It sits underneath a single glass panel alongside the RevLEDs and illumination for the lower rotary controls, giving the entire center section a much cleaner and more integrated appearance.

The display is not a touchscreen, with menus instead controlled through physical inputs including the FunkySwitch. Fanatec also says the production screen will be brighter than the prototype shown in Frankfurt.

The rest of the wheel uses an all-aluminum structure, RGB-backlit buttons, multiple push rotary encoders, and replaceable grips designed around endurance racing. The rear currently uses Fanatec’s existing Podium Advanced Paddle Module, although that is also expected to change before release.

Fanatec Is Finally Supporting SimHub

Possibly the bigger news is that Project Obsidian is the first Fanatec steering wheel designed around SimHub compatibility from the beginning. Fanatec will still develop its own dashboards, but users will also be able to take advantage of the much larger SimHub ecosystem.

Normal controls and power are handled through the Fanatec Quick Release, while detailed display telemetry can be transferred through USB or Wi-Fi. The wireless connection is particularly important for consoles, where UDP telemetry can provide display data without requiring a separate USB connection.

PlayStation compatibility will work in the usual Fanatec way when the wheel is connected to a PlayStation-licensed wheelbase. Fanatec has not confirmed an Xbox version at this stage.

Still Very Much a Prototype

There are a few reasons not to get too attached to the exact wheel shown in Frankfurt. Fanatec intentionally revealed Project Obsidian unusually early and says the design, interface, paddles, and other details are still being developed based partly on community feedback.

Pricing is also still unknown. What we do know is…