Thrustmaster is an American designer, developer and manufacturer of
joystick
A joystick, sometimes called a flight stick, is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Also known as the control column, it is the principal control devic ...
s,
game controllers, and
steering wheel
A steering wheel (also called a driving wheel, a hand wheel, or simply wheel) is a type of steering control in vehicles.
Steering wheels are used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass-production automobiles, buses, light and hea ...
s for
PCs and video gaming consoles. It has licensing agreements with third party brands as
Airbus
Airbus SE ( ; ; ; ) is a Pan-European aerospace corporation. The company's primary business is the design and manufacturing of commercial aircraft but it also has separate Airbus Defence and Space, defence and space and Airbus Helicopters, he ...
,
Boeing
The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...
,
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello. Founded in 1939 by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988), the company built Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, its first car in 1940, adopted its current name in 1945, and be ...
,
Gran Turismo and
U.S. Air Force as well as licensing some products under
Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...
's
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...
and
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
's
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand that consists of four main home video game console lines, as well as application software, applications (games), the streaming media, streaming service Xbox Cloud Gaming, and online services such as the Xbox networ ...
licenses.
History
Norm Winningstad helped found Thrustmaster in 1990 in
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County, Oregon, Washington County. Situated in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city hosts many High tech, high-te ...
. By early 1991 the company began advertising the Thrustmaster Weapons Control System in
computer magazine
Computer magazines are about computers and related subjects, such as networking and the Internet. Most computer magazines offer (or offered) advice, some offer programming tutorials, reviews of the latest technologies, and advertisements.
...
s. It worked mainly on developing flight control for simulation on
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...
Compatible Computers. The company has utilized the
HOTAS
HOTAS, an acronym of hands on throttle-and-stick, is the concept of placing buttons and switches on the throttle lever and flight control stick in an aircraft cockpit. By adopting such an arrangement, pilots are capable of performing all vital ...
system for use in computer flight simulation and has modeled some controllers after flight controls of real
aircraft
An aircraft ( aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, i ...
. The company made its name in making expensive but high-quality HOTAS controllers in the mid-1990s. By 1995, its sales grew to $15 million, and then to $25 million by 1998.
In July 1999, the gaming peripherals operations and brand name was acquired from Thrustmaster for $15 million by the Guillemot Corporation Group of France (which also bought
Hercules Computer Technology that same year and merged the two companies in a company called Hercules Thrustmaster, with headquarters in Carentoir, France, while keeping the 2 brands separate).
[
The new Thrustmaster company gradually extended the product portfolio beyond flight simulation to other simulation peripherals for PC, ]PlayStation
is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...
and Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand that consists of four main home video game console lines, as well as application software, applications (games), the streaming media, streaming service Xbox Cloud Gaming, and online services such as the Xbox networ ...
consoles:
* racing simulation as the T-GT, TS-XW, TX-RW, T300, T150, T80, TH8A gearbox, TSSH Handbrake, BT LED display, and wheels add-ons,
* gamepads as GPX, Score-A, T-Wireless, Dual Analog, eSwap, DualShock controller,
* gaming headphones as Y-C300 CPX, T.Assault Six, T.Racing Scuderia Ferrari Edition, and T.Flight U.S. Air Force Edition headset.
In 2019, Thrustmaster turnover is €59 million (US$66 million).
HOTAS Cougar
Formerly one of their most expensive joysticks is the HOTAS Cougar, a close but not exact reproduction of both the throttle and stick that is used in the real F-16 block 52 fighter aircraft. The product features all-metal construction and numerous programming possibilities but is hampered by low-quality potentiometers, leading to a thriving replacement industry. Some of the devices have had reported quality problems, including play in the centering springs and the tendency of the speedbrake switch to break due to a manufacturing defect (this has been fixed on later serial numbers).
Many independent companies have produced replacement components for the Cougar to address these issues. These include redesigned gimbals that center more firmly, contactless potentiometer
A potentiometer is a three- terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. If only two terminals are used, one end and the wiper, it acts as a variable resistor or rheostat.
The measuring instrum ...
s to replace worn originals, and even several force-controlled mods that make the stick sense pressure without moving (similar to an F-16 stick). Besides fixing complaints with the original product, these aftermarket parts have the potential to extend the life of the Cougar well past the time when Thrustmaster stops supporting it, but usually at double, even triple the price of the original purchase. However, the market for such mods tends to be limited, and many customers keep their Cougars as they came from the factory.
The HOTAS Cougar was replaced by the HOTAS Warthog in 2010, which replicates the flight controls used in the A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 , also infamously known under the nickname , is a single-seat, twinjet, twin-turbofan, straight wing, straight-wing, Subsonic aircraft, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Aircraft, Fairchild Republic ...
, using Hall effect
The Hall effect is the production of a voltage, potential difference (the Hall voltage) across an electrical conductor that is wikt:transverse, transverse to an electric current in the conductor and to an applied magnetic field wikt:perpendicul ...
sensors for the joystick and throttle axes instead of potentiometers.
Ferrari partnership
In 1999, Thrustmaster made their first ever replica wheel of the Ferrari 360 Modena. This is then followed in 2002 when a wheel was inspired by seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher (; born 3 January 1969) is a German former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to and from to . Schumacher won a record-setting seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, tied by Lewis Hamilton in ...
. After three years, Thrustmaster came out with the Enzo racing wheel.
The next wheel to come out was in May 2010 when the concept of the Ferrari Wireless GT Cockpit 430 Scuderia Edition racing wheel comes out. In July of that same year the Cockpit is named "Product of the Month" and crowned "#1 Racing Wheel" for July/August by Spanish magazine Playmania.
Then in August 2011, the 458 Italia wheel is released making the first time a wheel was licensed by Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
. After that at the 2011 Italian Grand Prix in Monza
Monza (, ; ; , locally ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the Lambro, River Lambro, a tributary of the Po (river), River Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy, about north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the province of Mo ...
, Italy, they unveil new products under the Ferrari License. The two products were the Ferrari F1 Wheel Integral T500 and the Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-on. Later in 2011 with Ferrari make two Thrustmaster Gamepads under the colors of the Ferrari 150th Italia. They were the F1 Wireless Gamepad Ferrari 150th Italia Alonso Edition and the F1 Dual Analog Gamepad Ferrari 150th Italia Exclusive Edition.
2013 saw the release of the TX Racing Wheel 458 Italia Edition with Brushless motors and magnetic sensors.
2014 saw the release of the most affordable wheel to ever have an official Microsoft License at just under US$100, the Ferrari 458 Spider Racing Wheel. 2015 had the release of the T150 Ferrari Wheel Force Feedback.
2018 saw the last Ferrari product with Thrustmaster for now with a Bundle of the T.Racing Scuderia Ferrari Edition headset and the 599xx Evo wheel.
In 2021, Thrustmaster unveiled a sim racing replica of the Ferrari SF1000 wheel.
Thrustmaster Civil Aviation
In 2020, Thrustmaster launched the Thrustmaster Civil Aviation (TCA) line with the TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition, a 1:1 replica of the sidestick
A side-stick or sidestick controller is an aircraft control stick that is located on the side console of the Aviator, pilot, usually on the righthand side, or outboard on a two-seat Cockpit (aviation), flightdeck. Typically this is found in air ...
on an Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus.
The A320 was launched in March 1984, Maiden flight, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France.
The first membe ...
, followed by the miniaturized TCA Quadrant Airbus Edition, which replicates the throttle, and finally the TCA Throttle Quadrant Add-On Airbus Edition, which replicated the flaps, speed brake, landing gear, and parking brake controls, among others. The sidestick and throttle quadrant were sold together as the TCA Officer Pack Airbus Edition, and with the add-on sold as the TCA Captains Pack Airbus Edition in 2021.
In 2021, the Airbus products were followed by the TCA Yoke Pack Boeing Edition, which is a replica of the yoke
A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do; some yokes are fitted to individual animals. There are several types of yoke, used in dif ...
on a Boeing 787
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, wh ...
and a three-axis quadrant, which can be configured with flaps, throttle, and spoilers, which were eventually available separately.
Hybrid racing wheels
The company is well known for its racing steering wheel controllers using hybrid gear and belt-driven mechanics. This type of controllers is a golden mean between the two competing technologies.
2015 saw the release of the T150 RS racing wheel with a 1080-degree angle of rotation and potentiometer sensors.
2021 saw the release of the T248 racing wheel with a 1080-degree angle of rotation and magnetic sensors; a 3-pedal T3PM pedal unit was included with the T248 wheel kit. The T3PM unit features an adjustable brake pedal.
2022 saw the release of the T128 racing wheel with a 900-degree angle of rotation and magnetic sensors; an entry-level 2-pedal T2PM pedal unit was included. This was created as the budget version of the T248 racing wheel. The T2PM unit is not adjustable, has a small size, but it also has two holes for hex bolts making the mounting possible.
2023 saw the release of the T818 direct-drive wheel base. This is just the base with no pedals or wheel.
Products
Flying
Driving
Software support
Linux kernel
The Linux kernel is a Free and open-source software, free and open source Unix-like kernel (operating system), kernel that is used in many computer systems worldwide. The kernel was created by Linus Torvalds in 1991 and was soon adopted as the k ...
support for various steering wheel models was added in March 2021.
References
External links
* {{Official website, https://thrustmaster.com
Computing input devices
Game controllers
Companies based in Hillsboro, Oregon
Electronics companies established in 1990
1990 establishments in Oregon
Computer companies of the United States
Computer peripheral companies
Computer hardware companies