‘Twisty’: Proper Force Feedback in a Handheld Sim Racing Controller
Quick summary· AI-generated
Laurence Dusoswa tried 'Twisty', a 3D-printed prototype handheld controller at Frankfurt Sim Racing Expo 2026 that uniquely combines force feedback with twist-based steering input. The controller uses a custom motor with patented technology integrated with OpenFFBoard to deliver genuine steering resistance that responds to car behavior, not just haptic vibration. Unlike historical twisting controllers (neGcon, SideWinder Dual Strike), this one provides the force-feedback interaction central to sim racing wheels—you can feel load changes, unsettled cars, and respond to slides with physical feedback. The developer Emmanuel hasn't released an official product name or availability yet; this is an early-stage discovery that addresses a real gap in handheld sim racing input methods.
Excerpt from Laurence Dusoswa
One of my favourite discoveries at the 2026 Sim Racing Expo in Frankfurt was a largely 3D printed controller that doesn’t even have an official product name yet. It looks unusual, it’s still a prototype, and it gave me one of the most enjoyable surprises of the show.
The developer is Emmanuel, whose nickname is Twisty. Until there’s an official name, I’m calling the controller the Twisty too. The prototype weighs approximately 900 grams.
You steer by twisting the two halves relative to each other, with triggers for throttle and brake and buttons for shifting. But the reason I’m excited is what happens when the simulator pushes back: this thing delivers proper steering force feedback through your hands.
The important part is the force feedback
After I shared the video, plenty of people mentioned Namco’s neGcon and Microsoft’s SideWinder Dual Strike. I understand the comparison. Twisting controllers have existed for decades, and I’m not suggesting Emmanuel invented twisting as an input method.
Neither the neGcon nor the Dual Strike provided the steering force feedback I experienced here. To be precise, I mean the Dual Strike: Microsoft also made force feedback wheels and joysticks under the SideWinder name.
What interests me is the combination of a custom-built motor, described as using patented technology, and an OpenFFBoard providing the force feedback interface. OpenFFBoard is an existing open-source project; the novelty I’m highlighting is its integration with this motor technology in a handheld racing controller.
That distinction matters. A controller vibrating over a kerb can tell you something happened. Steering force feedback can also act against your steering input, changing the forces you feel as you drive. That interaction is central to why I enjoy sim racing with a wheel, and experiencing it in this format was the surprise.
Familiar feedback through an unfamiliar controller
As someone who races with force feedback, I found the experience very intuitive and pleasant. The movements looked different, but the information coming through my hands felt familiar.
I could feel the steering load changing through corners, pick up on the car becoming unsettled, and respond to slides. Catching those slides was particularly enjoyable. I wasn’t simply watching the screen and trying to guess what steering correction to make; I had useful physical feedback to work with.
Across my time with it, I tried a Caterham and what I believed was a Dallara, on…
Comments (0)
No comments yet.