Asetek CEO André Eriksen on Sim Racing, Affordability, Access, and Xbox

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Published May 30, 2026, 12:39 PM EDT

Ethan Krieger is an Editor at DualShockers, where he covers reviews, guides, lists, features, previews, interviews, and gaming news. He began writing professionally in 2017 as a sports writer before moving into games coverage with DualShockers in 2024.

Before joining DualShockers, Ethan wrote for the FanSided Sports Network, including 8 Points, 9 Seconds, where he covered the Indiana Pacers, and Pelican Debrief, where he covered the New Orleans Pelicans. His background in sports writing, editing, and content strategy now informs his approach to gaming coverage, especially around reviews, rankings, guides, and event reporting. Ethan studied English at Arizona State University, with a focus on writing and text editing.

Between the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, Memorial Day Weekend is always the biggest spectacle in American motorsports. This year, things got even better for racing fans with the first ever SimRacing Expo to be held in the USA, which took place over three days in Charlotte, North Carolina. I was invited on DualShockers' behalf to the event, and one of my favorite moments of the weekend was speaking with André Eriksen, CEO and Founder of Asetek Racing.

If this is your introduction to Asetek, Eriksen first started the business in 1997 in Denmark as a liquid cooling company, working with computer tech stalwarts like Alienware and Corsair. Asetek Racing, the sim racing branch of the company, was then started much later in 2021, born of Eriksen's love of motorsport and personal experience with automotive racing.

In my time speaking with André, it was refreshing to hear a CEO speak so candidly and openly about everything we got into during our conversation. Here's how the interview went, and why I think it all points to Asetek being a sim racing company you should take a closer look at in 2026.

Speaking With André Eriksen, CEO and Founder of Asetek Racing

My conversation with André started with him giving me the backstory of the company, since I wasn't familiar with it myself going into our interview. Speaking about launching into the sim racing scene in 2021, Eriksen said:

"Because we were newcomers, I had this idea or philosophy that we need to start at the high end. We need to show off, we need to show what we're capable of. So the first thing we launched was our Invicta series; kind of the top of our offerings. Pretty expensive stuff; not outrageous compared to the competition, I would say. Perhaps even a little bit lower. But still high-end stuff, hydraulic brakes... My idea, other than having one piece of software that actually works every day and the stuff not breaking down, was that we have to be true to the concept that it has to feel like a real race car. The brake pedal is hard, because that's how it is in a race car, whether you like it or not. But this is a simulator. We try to simulate stuff. We've been true to that concept, and I think that serves us well, actually."

André then took me down the product line from the Invicta Series to the Forte, their second tier of product, which functions largely the same as the Invicta, just without quite as many features or customization options. We then got into the Initium Series of Asetek products, which is where we'll pick André's dialog back up:

"Then finally, and not least; I also wanted our products to be affordable. We developed this Initium product line. Initium in Latin actually means 'Entry to' or 'Start to.' So this is what we consider the entrance to our products."

André then demonstrated to me the ease at which the Initium line of pedals can flip between use on a floor/carpet, and also as an attachment to your fully built-out sim rig and cockpit, proving that this series is designed with options and accessibility in mind. This is further demonstrated by the Initium pedals' modular design. Eriksen continued:

"You can upgrade the brakes two steps all the way to hydraulic. The clutch, the throttle. You can upgrade everything. You don't have to throw anything away or sell it on the marketplace, or whatever. This whole upgradability is a big thing for us too; that you can start cheap, and then you can build on it as you go without having to throw anything away. Just to give you an idea about pricing, this rig, a seat, the Initium wheelbase, the Initium wheel, the Initium pedals... Everything you need, other than the screen and whatever console or PC, is below $1,000. In my view, that's a very good deal."

Leaning more into Asetek Racing putting a premium on access to their products, their affordability, as well as ease of use, Eriksen then discussed that the Initium line specifically will also soon be fully compatible with Xbox consoles.

"The Initium product line, we will launch very soon with Xbox support. So what we're trying to do is actually bring high-end hardware into consoles. The world I live in, what I see is that if you buy a console, then automatically, it's the 'lower-tier' racing hardware you get [from other companies], and I don't understand that. I understand this idea that you take your son to Fry's Electronics where I lived, you buy this [console], you get back on your couch, and you get going. I can understand and appreciate that. But there are also guys that have more money, and they like the nice stuff, they just don't want the hassle of a PC. And that [sim racing console] space, in my opinion, is not filled today. There's nobody there, because everybody on console is just 'How cheap can we go?'."

André then got into how he understands that sometimes, people don't use their sim rigs for an extended period of time. Upon going back to it and wanting to jump back in, you might have a similar experience to Eriksen:

"I push the [power] button. First thing I see, 'Oh, you need a firmware update,' or a driver update, or even worse, a Windows update. And then when you have done the update, then what you had on the center screen is now on the right screen, and you're just sick and tired of it. So, therefore, I now have a console. Push the button, and you drive. But then it's like... I don't want to talk bad about our own products of course, but if you compare these two wheels, there's not really a doubt what's nicest [between the Forte and the Initium wheel]. But if I go to the market today, [something like the Initium] is the only thing I can get. If I want something like [the Forte], then you have to be on a PC. So we are trying to change that. And that's also why you can do the upgrade path on the [Initium] pedals. Even though you're on console, you can have the same, nice peripherals that you have on a PC."

Why This All Matters to Sim Racing at Large

My conversation with Asetek's CEO did go on a bit more from there as we talked about software, some other products, as well as the new Formula One regulations this season, but all of the above is what I actually want to highlight in this piece. The reason for this is quite simple: Sim racing is often expensive and complicated. There is a barrier of entry to the medium that can be too steep for many people.

That's why what I think Asetek is now doing in the sim racing space is so exciting, and also so important. Eriksen said it himself that when Asetek Racing first started, he felt like they needed to start with the high-end; to show off, to prove they could be players in the market. This makes sense, of course. But I think it deserves pointing out and recognizing somewhere along the way that, in doing so, there's a market of potential players you're missing out on.

On the one hand, it's smart business to try to reach these potential buyers, but I also genuinely respect the lengths and effort that it seems like Eriksen and Asetek are going to in order to bring high-level sim racing to more players than ever. Eriksen is a racer, and his passion when you speak with him is glaringly obvious. To now be in a position to bring good sim racing to more people than ever at a more accessible entry point is commendable.

We see this same spirit again in Eriksen discussing Asetek's new focus on the console space, and their growing partnership with Xbox. Look, I love my PC. But it's impossible to argue against consoles being the wrong choice if you value simplicity, ease of use, and some more financial flexibility.

Not only is the Initium series of Asetek products genuinely the best I've used for the (comparatively small) amount of money, but leaning into console gaming as well really is proving that Asetek seems to be making smart, consumer-focused decisions that will hopefully end up beneficial to all parties.

And of course, the modular nature of the Initium line and their sustainability point to this as well. Asetek seems to have something for everyone now in the sim racing world. If you just want to get into sim racing space but still have a high-quality experience, Initium is a wonderful entry point. If you have the extra money and want to go all-out, then you have Invicta and Forte to consider.

Asetek is giving the choice to you, all while doing their part to make premium sim racing experiences available to more players than ever.

More Asetek Racing Details

After our interview, a few more additional details have been confirmed to me about some upcoming Asetek-related news.

In regards to the Xbox partnership, Asetek is slated to launch their Xbox-compatible Initium wheelbase in 2026. They are targeting market readiness around the SimRacing Expo in Frankfort, which is scheduled for October 16-18 of this year.

Asetek also has a brand-new Load Cell Handbrake and Dual Mode Shifter coming later in 2026 (slated for Week 36 in the EU, Week 45 in the USA). Here's the tech spec breakdown of both of these upcoming products, information provided directly from Asetek:

Load Cell Handbrake

In-Environment 1_16x9_40-040-0040001 Asetek

Load cell

Maximum load: 200 kg
Resolution: 16-bit

Technology

Resistance system: Two-stage
Tuning: Tuneable elastomer and spring stack

Modes and software

Modes: Analog, digital
Software: RaceHub
Compatibility: PC and Xbox (Xbox requires an Asetek Racing Xbox-compatible wheelbase and steering wheel)

Mounting

Mounting holes: 4x M6 threaded T-nuts
Mounting orientation: Left-hand and right-hand drive

Connection

Connection to host: USB Type-C
Power input: 5V, 500mA (max 2.5W)

Dimensions

Size: 133 x 132 x 360 mm
Weight: Net weight TBD (pending measurement)
Brake handle thread: M10
Retail packaging: 401 x 189 x 212 mm
Shipping packaging: 405 x 195 x 227 mm

Warranty and durability

Warranty: 24 months
Operating temperature: 0°C to 40°C (room temperature)
Tested durability: 1,000,000 brake cycles

Dual Mode Shifter

In-Environment 1_16x9_40-042-0042001 Asetek

Technology

Number of gears: 7 + reverse
Gear detection: Hall effect sensors

Modes and software

Shifter modes: H-pattern, sequential
Compatibility: PC and Xbox (Xbox requires an Asetek Racing Xbox-compatible wheelbase and steering wheel)
Software: RaceHub

Mounting