Sim Gaming Expo 2026 - Chicago, Sept 18–20
North America's first expo for sim racing, flight & VR. Test the latest gear, meet the creators, score show-only deals. Schaumburg, Chicago - September 18–20.
Moza Racing has officially joined the Gran Turismo World Series, and the immediate reaction was understandable. With Moza entering as an official peripheral partner and developing new Gran Turismo hardware, it looked like Fanatec might be on the way out.
That is not what is happening during the 2026 season. Polyphony Digital has clarified that Fanatec remains the Official Steering Wheel Partner of the Gran Turismo World Series and will continue supplying the hardware used at live events. We now have the unusual situation of two major sim racing manufacturers holding official roles around the same championship.
The partnership officially began on July 28, 2026. Moza will make its first visible appearance during Round 2 of the Gran Turismo World Series, which premieres on August 15, with its branding featured throughout the broadcast.
More importantly, Moza and Polyphony Digital are working together on a Gran Turismo-branded steering wheel controller with native support for Gran Turismo 7. Moza also says it is developing its first officially licensed PlayStation racing products, subject to final approval from Sony Interactive Entertainment.
There are no product images, specifications, prices, or release dates yet. The announcement only confirms that development is underway and that more information will arrive over the coming months.
The biggest correction concerns Fanatec. Polyphony Digital has confirmed that there has been no change to Fanatec’s position as the Official Steering Wheel Partner or as the official hardware supplier for Gran Turismo World Series live events.
Fanatec equipment will continue to be used by competitors for the remainder of the 2026 season, including the remaining events in Singapore and the World Finals in Shibuya, Tokyo. Earlier in the season, the competition rigs were fitted with the Gran Turismo DD Extreme, and there is currently no announced plan to replace that hardware with Moza equipment.
So Moza has not taken over the championship rigs, and Fanatec has not lost its official role. For now, the two partnerships are running alongside one another.
The wording separates their positions. Fanatec remains the Official Steering Wheel Partner and live-event hardware supplier, while Moza has been introduced as an official peripheral partner.
That still leaves plenty of unanswered questions. Both companies sell direct drive wheel bases, steering wheels, pedals, shifters, and wider sim racing ecosystems. Having both involved with the same championship is unusual, especially when Polyphony Digital is actively developing a Gran Turismo controller with Moza.
The most reasonable interpretation is that Fanatec remains responsible for the current competition hardware while Moza begins a longer-term product and marketing collaboration with Gran Turismo. That may change later, but neither company has announced what happens beyond the current season.
For most sim racers, the product announcement matters more than the event branding. Moza currently offers a large PC ecosystem and limited Xbox support through specific hardware, but it has not yet sold officially licensed PlayStation racing products.
That is now changing. Moza refers to products in the plural, while Gran Turismo confirms the development of a branded steering wheel controller with native Gran Turismo 7 support. This could eventually become more than one standalone steering wheel, although the exact scope remains unknown.
A complete direct drive bundle would be the most logical first release. Moza has built much of its growth around compact and competitively priced wheel bases, so a Gran Turismo package positioned around the entry-level or mid-range market would make sense. It could give PlayStation users another direct alternative to Fanatec, Logitech, and Thrustmaster.
The wheel itself could be more interesting than a normal Moza rim with Gran Turismo branding added. Gran Turismo producer Kazunori Yamauchi pointed toward developing a wheel that fits Gran Turismo’s own idea of an optimal steering controller.
That suggests Polyphony Digital may have meaningful involvement in the design. A versatile round wheel would suit the wide range of cars in Gran Turismo 7, while a more futuristic GT-style layout could help it stand apart. Controls designed around the game’s menus, assists, multifunction display, and race functions would also make the product feel more purposeful.
None of that is confirmed. Still, Moza has shown that it is willing to produce distinctive licensed hardware, and Polyphony Digital has previously worked closely with Fanatec on dedicated Gran Turismo products. There is a real opportunity here for something designed around the game from the beginning.
Fanatec does not need to panic today. It still supplies the official live-event hardware, already has licensed PlayStation products on sale, and has years of integration with Gran Turismo. Its DD Pro and DD Extreme platforms also give it a complete product range that Moza has not yet matched on PlayStation.
Longer term, though, Moza is a serious new competitor. It has a broad ecosystem, moves quickly, and regularly introduces products across several price categories. If its first PlayStation hardware is priced aggressively, Fanatec may face more direct pressure in a market where it has held a very strong position.
That competition should be good for Gran Turismo players. More choice could lead to stronger bundles, better pricing, faster product development, and more attention given to native game support. Fanatec remains secure for the current season, but it is no longer the only major hardware company building directly with Polyphony Digital.
The Moza and Gran Turismo announcement is significant, but it does not represent an immediate replacement of Fanatec. Moza became an official peripheral partner on July 28 and will appear during the Round 2 broadcast on August 15. It is also developing a Gran Turismo-branded steering wheel controller and its first officially licensed PlayStation racing products.
Fanatec remains the Official Steering Wheel Partner and will continue providing the equipment used at live events through the end of 2026. That gives us two official hardware partners with different roles, at least for now.
The real story will come when Moza reveals the products. A competitively priced Gran Turismo direct drive bundle could change the PlayStation market, while a game-focused steering wheel could become one of Moza’s most important releases yet. Fanatec is not being pushed out today, but the competition around Gran Turismo hardware has clearly become much more interesting.
