BODY: For sim racers who've long eyed Japan's premium wheel setups from afar, HORI just made the dream a bit more accessible. On July 28, 2026, the Tokyo-based peripheral maker announced the Racing Wheel Apex Formula for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows PC — a bundled wheel-and-pedal package landing in winter 2026.
The headline feature is right there in the name: a formula-style design. Rather than the rounded rim of a traditional road car, the Apex Formula adopts the flat-bottomed, open-cockpit shape modeled on Formula 1 and single-seater racers, the kind of wheel that puts every button and dial within thumb's reach. It's a deliberate pitch to the growing crowd of players graduating from arcade-style handling to full simulation.
Compatibility spans three platforms — PS5, PS4, and Windows PC — meaning the same hardware follows you from console to a PC racing rig without needing a second purchase. HORI is packaging the wheel together with a dedicated pedal unit, so buyers get a complete cockpit-ready setup out of the box rather than sourcing pedals separately.
Pricing is where things get interesting. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is ¥21,980 including tax — roughly $140 depending on the exchange rate. That undercuts much of the enthusiast-grade competition from the likes of Fanatec and Thrustmaster, positioning the Apex Formula as an approachable entry into serious sim racing.
The insider take
HORI occupies a specific niche that's easy to miss from outside Japan: it's the officially licensed peripheral brand that Japanese console players trust for fight sticks, controllers, and racing gear. From Tokyo, the ¥21,980 price and the formula-wheel styling read as a clear play for the middle ground — more capable than a starter wheel, far cheaper than the direct-drive rigs that dominate the hobbyist forums. With Gran Turismo 7 still a fixture of the PS5 lineup, expect this to move well domestically before it ever reaches import shelves overseas.
Originally reported by 4Gamer.net − 最新記事 (Japanese).