Corsair has begun negotiations to acquire Endor AG, owner of sim racing specialist Fanatec. The proposed deal provides a welcome cash injection to Endor AG, which is struggling under the weight of a €70 million debt.

If a deal requiring the approval of the German authorities is realized, it will mark a major play by Corsair in the world of Sim racing. Fanatec has a loyal following and it is the best bra in the sim racing market, with a range of medium and high-end direct drive bases, wheels, pedals, shifters and cockpit

In recent years, Fanatec products have increased competition with cheaper direct drive alternatives from companies such as Moza. Mainstream brands such as Thrustmaster and Logitech have also been major players in the sim racing scene since it began in the mid-1990s, placing a big bet on sim racing's growth and expanding its range with affordable direct drive bases and high-quality swappable wheels, so this move by Corsair is completely surprising as a peripheral device manufacturer. This is not something you should do. 

"Fanatec is an incredible brand with a strong community and we believe Corsair is the ideal home for fanatec's loyal customers, employees and business partners," said Corsair CEO Andy Paul. "This transaction will resolve the company's significant debt burden and place the company for growth and continued product portfolio expansion."

Fanatec's financial woes have left it a major takeover candidate. Before Corsair's announcement, it was in the midst of corporate and financial restructuring. Just a few weeks ago, founder and CEO Thomas Jackermeier was removed from his post after 25 years at the helm, but he has reduced his role in the company and now focuses on product design and development. Product delays and long shipping lead times heaped more pressure on the company. Hopefully, Fanatec can benefit from Corsair's finely tuned logistics and service expertise.

The news has been (mostly) warmly welcomed by the r/simracing crowd, and there have been months of complaints about the delayed delivery of the order and the painful warranty and repair experience.

Sim racers are the most avid of all gamers and often spend thousands of dollars on equipment over thousands on PCs and monitors. A proper cockpit setup also takes up a lot of space. The latter is part of the reason I've never graduated beyond driving with a controller. blasphemy! Sim racing is something I've always been interested in and I definitely agree with Andy's feelings on the joy he gets from sim racing.