Saitek is a designer and manufacturer of

consumer electronics Consumer electronics or home electronics are electronic (analog or digital) equipment intended for everyday use, typically in private homes. Consumer electronics include devices used for entertainment, communications and recreation. Usually r ...

founded in 1979 by Swiss technologist Eric Winkler. They are best known for their PC gaming controllers, mice, keyboards, and their numerous analogue flight controllers such as joysticks, throttles, and rudder pedals. Most Saitek products have been rebranded as Logitech G products since their acquisition by the company.

History

Saitek (originally called SciSys until 1987) was founded in 1979 by Swiss technologist Eric Winkler as a manufacturer of electronic chess games. By the 1990s the company had distribution and design offices in the United States, Germany, France and the United Kingdom, as well as a factory in China. In 1994, Saitek acquired Hegner & Glaser's successful

Mephisto Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition. Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Méphisto'', a 1931 French film * Mephisto (1981 film), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...

line of chess computers. Saitek diversified into PC

peripherals A peripheral or peripheral device is an auxiliary device used to put information into and get information out of a computer. The term ''peripheral device'' refers to all hardware components that are attached to a computer and are controlled by the ...

, focusing on

game controllers A game controller, gaming controller, or simply controller, is an input device used with video games or entertainment systems to provide input to a video game, typically to control an object or character in the game. Before the seventh generation ...

for

flight simulation A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and the environment in which it flies, for pilot training, design, or other purposes. It includes replicating the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they rea ...

driving Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a vehicle, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses, and bicycles. Permission to drive on public highways is granted based on a set of conditions being met and drivers are required to fol ...

and first-person gaming. Saitek has also expanded into PC peripherals, with an emphasis on input, connectivity and

multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms such as text, audio, images, animations, or video into a single interactive presentation, in contrast to tradition ...

. In 2005, Saitek launched a high fidelity

audio Audio most commonly refers to sound, as it is transmitted in signal form. It may also refer to: Sound *Audio signal, an electrical representation of sound *Audio frequency, a frequency in the audio spectrum *Digital audio, representation of sound ...

product line for PC & iPod. On November 14, 2007,

Mad Catz Mad Catz Global Limited (formerly Mad Catz Interactive, Inc.) is an American Chinese-based company that provides interactive entertainment products marketed under Mad Catz, GameShark (gaming products) and TRITTON (audio products). Mad Catz distr ...

announced that they had purchased Saitek for $30 million. On September 15, 2016,

Logitech Logitech International S.A. ( ; often shortened to Logi) is a Swiss multinational manufacturer of computer peripherals and software, with headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, and Newark, California. The company has offices throughout Europe, ...

announced that they had purchased the Saitek brand and assets from

for $13 million in cash.

Products

Pro Flight Controllers

*''Pro Flight Yoke System'' *''Pro Flight Throttle Quadrant'' *''TPM System''

Pro Flight Panels

*''Pro Flight Backlit Information Panel'' *''Pro Flight Multi Panel'' *''Pro Flight Radio Panel'' *''Pro Flight Switch Panel'' *''Pro Flight Instrument Panel''

Pro Flight Sticks

*''X-56 H.O.T.A.S. System'' (2018) *''X-55 Rhino H.O.T.A.S. System'' (2014) *''X-65F Flight Combat Control System'' (2008) *'' X52 Pro Flight Control System'' (2007) *'' X52 Flight Control System'' (2004)Saitek X52 Flight Control System
''ITRNews'', 21 December 2004 (in French) *''X45 Digital Joystick and Throttle'' (2001) *''X36 Flight Control System'' (1999), consisting of the X36F Control stick and X35T throttle

Flight Sticks

*''Aviator'' for PS3,

Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...

and PC *''Cyborg F.L.Y.9 Wireless Flight Stick'' for

/ PS3 *''Cyborg F.L.Y 5 Flight Stick'' for PC *''Cyborg 2000 Flight Stick'' for PC *''Cyborg Evo Flight Stick'' for PC (2003) *''ST290 Flight Stick'' for PC

Pro Flight Rudder Pedals

*'' Pro Flight Rudder Pedals'' *''Pro Flight Combat Rudder Pedals'' *''Cessna Pro Flight Rudder Pedals''

Accessories

*''Pro Flight Headset''

Cessna Controllers

*''Pro Flight Cessna Yoke System'' *''Pro Flight Cessna Trim Wheel'' *''Pro Flight Cessna Rudder Pedals''

Farming Equipment

*''Heavy Equipment Bundle'' for PC *''Heavy Equipment Side Panel'' for PC

Keyboard

*''Saitek Cyborg programmable keyboard'' for PC

References

External links

Saitek
{{Logitech products Chess computers Electronics companies of Switzerland Electronics companies established in 1979 Swiss companies established in 1979 Swiss brands