Asetek Racing took advantage of the first U.S. edition of the SimRacing Expo in Charlotte—which drew some 9,000 visitors—to unveilthe Initium DD10. The Danish manufacturer isn’t selling a fixed-spec base model: it ships with 10 Nm and already includes the components needed to upgrade to 14 Nm. It is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2026, for PC and Xbox.

From 10 to 14 Nm without changing the base

The standard 10 Nm is more than enough to feel a weight transfer or a rear-end loss of traction without overwhelming the force feedback. The appeal lies elsewhere: there’s plenty of headroom built into the unit from the start, and a boost kit unlocks the full 14 Nm whenever the driver needs it. No need to sell your existing base, no need to re-drill the chassis plate, no need to redesign the cockpit. For beginners wondering if they’ll have to buy everything new in two years, this is the kind of promise that carries weight when it comes time to make a choice.

The DD10 also features a USB passthrough. The base unit controls Asetek steering wheels just like sim-racing steering wheels from other brands, and everything can be configured in RaceHub, the company’s proprietary software. André Eriksen, CEO and founder of Asetek Racing, sums up the goal in his press release: true direct drive, the freedom to keep the steering wheels you already own, and Xbox compatibility.

A recipe that’s already been tried and tested on the current Initium

Asetek has been following this model for nearly a year now.The Initium DD5.5, the entry-level model in the current lineup (5.5 Nm, 14-bit encoder, 16,384 points), was launched at 399 euros in August 2025, or 679 euros as a bundle with a steering wheel and pedal set. To upgrade it from 5.5 to 8 Nm, all you need is a more powerful power supply, sold separately for less than 100 euros. Fanatec uses the same approach with its CSL DD models.

The DD10 repeats this scenario one level up. That leaves the question the announcement fails to address: how much will the kit that unlocks the 14 Nm cost? If the total cost—base model plus kit—gets out of hand, the argument for scalability loses its appeal. That’s what we’ll have to judge it on, not the concept itself.

What Has Not Yet Been Said

For now, Asetek has not released any pricing information or a complete spec sheet. The press release mentions Xbox and PC, but says nothing about the PlayStation. This silence should not be overinterpreted in either direction.

On Xbox, too, caution is advised. The company has not specified which combinations of third-party steering wheels and Quick Release adapters will actually be recognized once the base unit is connected to a console. Yet that is precisely where the “keep your steering wheels” promise comes into play. It’s worth noting that Asetek unveiled a prototype Xbox steering wheel for the Initium line in August 2025—expected before the end of that year—and that the official store still only offers PC versions.

We’ll see you at the SimRacing Expo in Frankfurt this October, where Asetek promises to reveal the spec sheet, pricing, and first hands-on impressions. Until then, the DD10 remains more of a concept than a product we can recommend, and those who don’t want to wait until the end of the year will find what they’re looking for among the direct-drive bases already available.