PC components and peripherals specialist Corsair has announced its plan to purchase Endor AG, the parent company behind the sim racing label Fanatec. The move comes roughly a month after Fanatec appointed a new chief executive, prompted by strong criticism from the sim racing community over disappointing product rollouts, shipment delays, and weak customer support—issues that have hurt the standing of a business long associated with well-regarded sim racing hardware, from steering wheels and direct drive units to pedals and a range of add-ons.
There’s a clear logic to this strategy. Corsair currently doesn’t have a sim racing brand in its wider lineup, while rivals do. Logitech, for example, released its first direct drive wheelbase last year, and Turtle Beach launched theirs earlier this year. Corsair also has substantial strengths in global manufacturing and distribution—an area where Fanatec has faced persistent challenges, leading to major complications over the last six months.
Fanatec’s setup has added to the frustration, too. The company operates only through EU and US channels, which means UK buyers often face higher import charges and longer delivery timelines. On top of that, the firm drew criticism for requiring full payment up front for purchases that could take months to arrive. The Black Friday promotions in November 2023 drew overwhelming demand, with the Fanatec site struggling or crashing for much of the day; even so, many shoppers later reported that their orders didn’t show up until 2024, and they also said their support requests went unanswered.
The release of the ClubSport DD+ wheelbase for PS5 also came with problems. A key Sony certification was reportedly not secured in time, which led to notable delays before launch. This might have been the final push for the company to end its independent run, as Corsair’s press release notes that it intends to address the company’s “short-term cash requirements” and “facilitate a restructuring of Endor’s roughly €70 million in debt” — a significant obligation.
If the acquisition of Endor AG moves forward, I’d expect Corsair’s top goal to be improving the organization’s customer experience. That means responding properly to support questions and issuing refunds when appropriate for customers who still haven’t received their purchases. Beyond that, it’s easy to imagine additional ways Corsair can capture value simply by increasing production output and expanding access through more retail outlets for an ecosystem that’s already broad—and generally high-quality—when it comes to sim racing products. Ideally, the “continued product portfolio expansion” mentioned in Corsair’s statement will happen after these initial problems are brought under control.
Still, it’s hard not to feel uneasy about another standalone company being taken over by a larger PC industry player, even if this deal looks like one of the more reasonable decisions lately. With consolidation continuing across the PC market and sim racing becoming even more popular, it wouldn’t be surprising to see similar interest down the road from firms such as Razer, Asus, or Dell.