SteelSeries and Ignite Game Technologies Introduce the Simraceway SWR-Si Steering Wheel
High-Performance, Low-Cost Motion-Sensor Wheel to Bring Authentic Racing Experience
Within Reach of a Whole New Audience
CHICAGO and SAN FRANCISCO – Nov. 17, 2011 – SteelSeries, the leading manufacturer of
premium-quality, competitive gaming peripherals and Ignite Game Technologies, creators of
groundbreaking auto racing platform Simraceway®, today introduced the Simraceway® SRW-
S1 Steering Wheel, an affordable, high-performance PC controller that aims to open up a whole
new racing world to players frustrated by the limitations of joypads.
A handheld hybrid racing controller that combines the features and functions of a high-end
wheel with the portability and convenience of a joypad, the SRW-S1 includes a motion-sensor
for steering and a patent-pending throttle and brake paddle system for a fully simulated driving
experience without the need for floor pedals.
Designed, tested and approved by a team of champion drivers, including four-time IndyCar
Series winner Dario Franchitti, double Indy 500 Champion, the late, great and much missed,
Dan Wheldon, and SimRacing stars David Greco and Bruno Marques, the new wheel brings
racing game players complete customizability and original features that will enhance their PC
racing experience.
“When we set out in 2008 to create a new kind of racing game, one of the first issues we had to
confront was the age-old ‘interface problem’,” said Ignite CEO Jonathan Haswell. “For decades
now, racing game players have been faced with the unenviable choice of spending a huge
amount of money on a wheel-and-pedal set that is tricky to set up, store and transport or settling
for a binary joypad that simply isn’t fit-for-purpose.
“It soon became clear that the only solution was to produce something completely new and
unique. A controller that would be affordable enough for those who can’t justify spending
fortunes on top-end racing wheels but authentic enough to convey the full exhilaration of the
virtual racing experience. We were honored that a company with the reputation of SteelSeries
understood the direction we wanted to head in and we’re overjoyed with what they’ve managed
to produce for us.”
“We’ve been working with the Ignite team and their professional drivers for the past year
to really perfect the wheel’s design and functionality,” added SteelSeries CEO, Bruce
Hawver. “We’re confident in the success of this peripheral; we’ve combined feedback about its
design from its rubberized grips to shift lighting along with the features that are found in true
racing wheels, that Indy 500, F1 and simulated racing drivers need and use. The wheel’s original
functionalities, price and its compatibility with virtually every PC racing game on the market,
makes it a truly unparalleled product.”
The SRW-S1 Steering Wheel features include:
- Portability and Authenticity
- Unique hybrid design brings a true-to-life racing experience to your laptop or desktop computer without the set-up, storage or transportation hassles of a wheel-and-pedal set.
- Full Range Acceleration and Braking
- A patent-pending, hand-controlled paddle system on the rear of the wheel produces full-range acceleration and braking, providing drivers with the same subtlety of control as high-end wheel sets and real-world cars.
- Optimized Design
- Over 20 on-wheel buttons and dials, each one optimized for easy access, and two ergonomically-designed rubberized grips ensure drivers stay in complete control.
- Plug-and-Play with Simraceway
- No complicated configuration required when used with Simraceway. No device drivers to load, no bamboozling set-up process to follow—simply plug-and-race.
- Compatible with PC Racing Games
- Can be used with most PC racing games although some features, including the Assists dials and the shift indicator LEDs, may not be compatible with certain titles.
- Complete Customizability
- Many of the SRW-S1 Steering Wheel’s controls can be customized to suit the driving and gaming preferences of individual players.
Find out more about the simulated racing experience at http://simraceway.com
The Simraceway SRW-S1 Steering Wheel is available now online in the SteelSeries Web Shop
for $119.99 / €119.99 MSRP. For more information about the Simraceway® SRW-S1 Steering
Wheel please visit http://steelseries.com/srws1. Be sure to follow SteelSeries and Simraceway on
Facebook at http://facebook.com/steelseries and http://facebook.com/simraceway.
About Ignite Technologies
Ignite Game Technologies is a Silicon Valley-based online gaming company founded in 2008
by skill-quantification experts Jonathan Haswell and James Synge to produce a new kind of
racing game. The title, called Simraceway, launched in the fall of 2011. The company counts
four-time IndyCar Series winner Dario Franchitti among its physics development team and
benefited greatly from the expertise of double Indy 500 winner, the late, great and much missed
Dan Wheldon. It also has the distinction of being able to leverage a permanent real-world racing
facility—the Simraceway Performance Driving Center, based at Infineon Raceway—for R&D.
To date Ignite has raised $12.2 million.
About Simraceway
Simraceway is an online racing world that offers live, person-to-person racing, utilizing
highly-accurate, simulation-grade driving physics and proprietary middleware for player skill
quantification in order to match racers by skill level. It leverages a client-server model similar
to those on popular online games such as World of Warcraft™ and features current and historic
licensed content from a variety of auto and racing brands including Bentley™, Bugatti™,
Mitsubishi™ and Saleen™. Its continually-evolving racing environment will be constantly
supplemented with new features and content to fully reflect the fast-moving, real-world motor
racing scene.
About SteelSeries
SteelSeries is a leading manufacturer of gaming peripherals, including headsets, keyboards,
mice, software and gaming surfaces. For the past decade, SteelSeries has been on the forefront
of competitive gaming gear thanks to continued innovation and product development in
cooperation with leading professional gaming teams. SteelSeries also helps to support the growth
of competitive gaming tournaments and electronic sports leagues through professional team
sponsorships, partnerships, and community support all over the world. For more information,
please visit http://steelseries.com.
