This gamepad features a force feedback steering wheel housed in the middle

Not everyone remembers the one-off controllers that never really caught on. As third-party peripheral makers try to offer gamers something different than DualSense and Joy-Cons, they often have to go in a different direction. GameSir’s Swift Drive (apparently a working product name) is definitely that. And if you remember the years 1998 for the PS1, there is definitely shared DNA.

It features a compact steering wheel at the center of an otherwise typical controller design. It also has force feedback, a technology typically found in (full size!) steering wheel controllers. GameSir claims it has a built-in “high-precision” Hall effect encoder for “ultra-precise” steering.

You’ll be able to adjust the steering range from 30 to 1080 degrees, but you’ll probably want to keep it high – that’s the whole point of this controller. GameSir has added Hall effect sensors to its most typical joysticks and buttons, while each trigger has its own haptic motor to simulate wheel spin and braking. Multiple RGB lights on the top of the controller will even attempt to replicate your in-game RPMs, which is a cute touch.

At the CES show, I drove a large vehicle through a demo area reduced to wireframe ramps and curved surfaces. The force feedback is strong, and it’s a surprisingly satisfying driving experience when I turn around while turning the steering wheel with both thumbs. The steering wheel can also be personalized with different plates. It looked like a miniaturized steering wheel controller and locked when I oversteered or stopped. You may be worried about battery life, but the controller should last 20-30 hours on a single charge.

A GameSir spokesperson said the controller is expected to go on sale later this year, but pricing has not yet been confirmed.