Asetek Racing unveiledthe Initium DD10 at the first U.S. edition of the SimRacing Expo in Charlotte, in front of nearly 9,000 visitors. A 10 Nm direct-drive base unit, expandable to 14 Nm, is slated for release in the fourth quarter of 2026 on PC and Xbox. Taken on its own, this is a fairly routine product announcement. But when viewed in the context of its timeline, it tells a different story: the Xbox compatibility promised nearly a year ago isn’t coming through as originally announced.

What had been promised in August 2025

Back to Gamescom, August 20, 2025. Asetek launches the Initium line and its DD5.5 base (5.5 Nm, 14-bit encoder, 16,384 points), priced at 399 euros for the base unit and 679 euros as a bundle. The message at the time was clear: the Initium would launch for PC, with Xbox One and Series X|S compatibility to follow later, thanks to a dedicated Xbox steering wheel. The brand even showed a prototype of this steering wheel, complete with X, A, Y, and B buttons, and announced it would be available before the end of 2025.

As of late July 2026, the official Asetek store still only lists the PC version of the Initium Steering Wheel and PC bundles. The Xbox steering wheel is not for sale. And it’s an entirely new platform—not a steering wheel—that now holds the promise of a console release by the end of the year.

Why does this type of calendar slip?

Asetek does not explain this discrepancy, and it would be unwise to speculate on the reasons. However, it’s worth noting how the market works. On Xbox, Microsoft certification typically requires a licensed controller: it’s the controller that opens the door, and the hardware connected to it then benefits from that. Obtaining this license takes time. At Sony, security is handled at a different point in the chain, which explains why a manufacturer can be Xbox-compatible without being PlayStation-compatible. The DD10 press release, incidentally, makes no mention of the PlayStation.

What the DD10 Actually Offers

As for the product itself, three things stand out. First, the standard 10 Nm, with a boost kit that unlocks 14 Nm without changing the motor or modifying the chassis mounts: the mechanical headroom is already built into the unit. The question remains: what’s in this kit? We know about the previous model: the DD5.5 goes from 5.5 to 8 Nm with a simple, reinforced power supply sold for less than 100 euros—exactly how Fanatec does it on its CSL DD models. Asetek hasn’t confirmed whether the DD10 will follow the same approach.

Next is the USB passthrough, which allows the base unit to control third-party steering wheels as well as its own. And RaceHub to centralize settings, profiles, and updates. André Eriksen, CEO and founder of the brand, describes the DD10 as the most accessible entry point into the Asetek ecosystem, offering the freedom to keep steering wheels you’ve already purchased.

The question that will decide everything

This flexibility is precisely what needs to be verified. Since console compatibility is typically determined by the controller, it’s unclear which combinations of third-party controllers and Quick Release adapters will actually be recognized once the DD10 is connected to an Xbox. A passthrough that works on a PC but fails on a console would render the argument meaningless. Asetek has not provided any details on this point.

The rest is missing as well: no price, no complete spec sheet. The brand invites attendees to the SimRacing Expo in Frankfurt this October to fill in those gaps and offer the first hands-on demos. The intention is clear, but it remains to be seen whether they can deliver. And by the end of the year, the entry-level direct-drive base segment won’t have waited for Asetek to make a move.