The Sim Gaming Expo 2026 brought the simulation community together September 18–20 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center near Chicago, Illinois. The three-day event featured sim racing, flight simulation, virtual reality, motion platforms, esports competitions and hands-on demonstrations from some of the industry’s leading manufacturers.

MOZA Racing, Sim-Lab, Heusinkveld, Simucube, Simagic, Fanatec, VRS, Gomez Sim Industries and several specialized manufacturers filled the show floor with everything from affordable direct-drive equipment to professional-grade motion simulators.

Here are the most important products and trends from this year’s show.

MOZA operated one of the largest exhibits at the expo, with six simulator stations covering traditional racing, flight simulation, trucking, farming and motion technology.

The company’s two headline products were the Ford Mustang GTD Sim-Racing Steering Wheel and the HMA150 Motion System.

The new wheel recreates the distinctive design and control layout of the Ford Mustang GTD. It is aimed at GT racers who want licensed styling combined with a competition-focused button arrangement.

Although the wheel officially launched immediately before the expo, Chicago attendees were among the first people able to try it in a complete simulator.

The Mustang GTD wheel is another major addition to MOZA’s growing collection of officially licensed equipment and demonstrates the company’s effort to connect real performance cars with virtual racing.

MOZA’s HMA150 was one of the company’s most ambitious products on display.

The system uses four motion actuators, each providing 150 millimeters of travel and operating at response rates of up to 150 Hz. MOZA Motion Manager processes game telemetry and translates acceleration, braking, cornering, track surfaces and other vehicle movements into physical motion.

The HMA150 places MOZA in a much larger segment of the simulator market. The company can now provide not only the wheelbase, steering wheel and pedals, but also the movement underneath the entire cockpit.

MOZA also gave attendees hands-on access to several products introduced during 2026, including:

• R16 Ultra direct-drive wheelbase
• R5 Pro wheelbase and racing bundle
• mBooster active pedals
• Active Shifter technology
• AY90 flight-simulation yoke base
• MFY Pro flight yoke
• Farming Control System
• Truck-simulation controls

The full display showed that MOZA no longer wants to be seen as only a racing-wheel manufacturer. It is building a broad simulation ecosystem covering cars, trucks, aircraft, agricultural equipment and motion platforms.

One of the most exciting products shown in Chicago was Sim-Lab’s forthcoming Porsche 963 steering wheel.

The wheel is based on the Porsche 963 LMDh prototype currently competing in international endurance racing. Its shape, carbon-fiber construction, grips, display and control layout closely reproduce the steering wheel used in the real race car.

Final specifications, pricing and availability have not yet been announced, but the product is clearly intended for the premium end of the market.

For drivers who enjoy Le Mans Ultimate, iRacing and other prototype-racing simulations, this could become one of the most desirable licensed wheels available.

Sim-Lab also demonstrated its new DDS TorqueSync direct-drive wheelbases.

The DDS26 offers 26 Nm of peak torque, while the flagship DDS39 increases output to 39 Nm. Both use an industrial AC brushless servo motor, 24-bit encoder, integrated power supply and a control system operating at more than 100 kHz.

Sim-Lab is also maintaining support for third-party steering wheels through USB data and power passthrough.

Expected pricing places these bases firmly in professional territory:

• DDS26: approximately $1,499
• DDS39: approximately $1,999

The company also displayed a compact digital control panel resembling a dedicated sim-racing Stream Deck. Its customizable controls could provide racers with an adaptable alternative to a conventional button box.

Heusinkveld is best known for its high-performance pedals, but its product range is expanding rapidly.

The new One SC is a lightweight, 270-millimeter steering wheel developed primarily for the Simucube 3 ecosystem. Its fiber-reinforced composite construction keeps the wheel’s weight to approximately 1,060 grams before adding the quick release.

A lighter wheel allows a direct-drive base to accelerate and change direction more rapidly, potentially improving the clarity of fast force-feedback effects.

The One SC includes:

• 4.3-inch Simucube touchscreen
• 23 configurable RGB LEDs
• 12 pushbuttons
• Two push rotary encoders
• Two seven-way switches
• Adjustable magnetic push-pull shifters
• Dual Hall-sensor clutch paddles
• Direct connection to Simucube 3 Sport, Pro and Ultimate bases
• USB connection option for other wheelbases

Pricing and release information had not been confirmed at the time of the expo.

Heusinkveld also presented the finished version of its DisplayDash.

This device combines a touchscreen dashboard with physical rotary controls and buttons. Instead of permanent printed labels, the screen can dynamically show the function assigned to each control.

DisplayDash provides 47 available inputs through 12 push rotaries, four buttons and a seven-way switch. It also includes 17 configurable RGB lights, full SimHub support, a two-port USB hub and standard VESA mounting.

European pricing is €389 including VAT, while pricing outside the European Union is listed at €324 before local taxes.

Simucube demonstrated its premium direct-drive wheelbases and ActivePedals alongside Driven Dynamic motion platforms.

ActivePedals can electronically reproduce different brake, throttle and clutch characteristics through software. Instead of physically changing springs, elastomers or hydraulic components, a driver can adjust pedal travel, pressure, resistance and feedback electronically.

No major new Simucube product was publicly launched in Chicago, but the demonstrations reinforced the company’s position in the professional and high-end enthusiast markets.

Simagic maintained a substantial presence through SimHQ, where attendees could try much of its current ecosystem.

Products on display included the newer Zeus steering wheels, direct-drive bases, pedals, shifters and Circuit One motion hardware.

The importance of Simagic’s display was not a single Chicago-exclusive launch. It was the opportunity for American buyers to compare the company’s complete system directly with MOZA, Fanatec, Simucube, VRS and other competitors on the same show floor.

Virtual Racing School displayed wheelbases, DFP pedals, steering wheels, cockpits and motion equipment. One of the show’s more extreme installations combined a custom high-torque direct-drive system with a full motion platform.

Gomez Sim Industries brought its collection of premium steering wheels, giving visitors the opportunity to compare different screen sizes, grip shapes, paddle systems and control arrangements.

Spanish manufacturer SRP highlighted its pneumatic pedal systems. Unlike conventional load-cell pedals that rely primarily on mechanical compression, SRP uses pneumatic resistance to reproduce braking pressure and modulation. Its equipment is machined from aerospace-grade aluminum and designed for highly adjustable, professional-level applications.

Motion hardware was one of the clearest trends at the 2026 expo.

SimCraft presented seven different motion platforms for racing and flight simulation. Apevie demonstrated Qubic-based systems with four- and six-degree-of-freedom movement, while DOF Reality showed more accessible motion products for home users.

ARK Dynamics displayed a six-degree-of-freedom, 21-bit magnetic-levitation platform, and several other companies combined traction loss, actuator movement and haptic feedback with high-torque direct-drive bases.

Motion systems remain expensive, but the number of competing manufacturers suggests that motion is beginning to move from a specialized professional product toward the wider enthusiast market.

Sim Gaming Expo 2026 showed that sim-racing manufacturers are no longer concentrating on one isolated component.

MOZA is expanding from wheels and pedals into motion, flight, trucking and agricultural simulation. Sim-Lab is moving from cockpits into wheelbases, licensed wheels, electronics and software. Heusinkveld is expanding beyond pedals into steering wheels and intelligent control displays.

At the same time, motion systems, active pedals, dynamic touchscreens, premium licensed replicas and more open compatibility are becoming increasingly important.

The consumer benefits from this competition. Entry-level racers have more affordable direct-drive choices, experienced drivers have better upgrade paths, and professional users can now build simulators that come remarkably close to the controls and physical feedback found in real race cars.

The Chicago expo made one point especially clear: sim racing is no longer a small collection of gaming accessories. It has developed into a serious technology industry connecting gaming, esports, driver training and real-world motorsport.

For racers planning their next upgrade, the difficult part will not be finding new equipment. It will be deciding which of these rapidly expanding ecosystems deserves a place in the rig.