Thrustmaster has finally unveiled the T818, its new Direct Drive wheel, after more than a year of anticipation. Following Fanatec’s new GT DD Pro and the Logitech G Pro, it is the third of the three main sim-racing peripheral manufacturers to introduce a Direct Drive wheel in the past 12 months.
The T818, however, has one significant distinction: It is a PC-only wheelbase. Thus, console gamers will, at least initially, be excluded from the Thrustmaster Direct Drive offering; however, Thrustmaster has “a plan for the console as well.”
The “Fast Release” wheel attachment mechanism, a tool-free method of fast-changing out wheel rims, is also being introduced by Thrustmaster using the T818.
You can use any of your collection of Thrustmaster wheels because this will work with all “next-gen” rims and any existing rim that employs the Quick Release Adapter. In 2023, Thrustmaster is planning to introduce four new rims, all of which will be included with the T818.
Thrustmaster direct drive release date
The release of the T818 will not be until March 2023 for players in the USA. The base itself costs $/€649.99 (£599.99) and is now available for pre-order in Europe. The first deliveries are scheduled to arrive in December.