How many enthusiasts does a hobby need before it stops being niche? At the SimRacing Expo in Frankfurt, which closed on October 18, the answer seems to be nearly thirty thousand. Organizers recorded 29,580 visitors over three days at Messe Frankfurt, more than 5,000 above last year's Dortmund edition and more than double 2024. It was the first time the show was held in Frankfurt, across more than 14,000 square metres and with over 70 exhibitors.
What struck visitors most was the sheer variety of hardware. Wheels, pedals, real cars and motion systems filled the halls. One car had been turned into a simulator, with the game projected onto a blacked-out windscreen, to raise money for charity. Another team, Pixaracer, connected a racing rig to real RC cars that drove around a track.
Image: SimGamingExpo — https://x.com/SimGamingExpo/status/2047020989637415315
The path into the hobby has changed. The classic route was a wheel, then a better wheel, then a direct-drive base. Today the biggest jump in immersion comes from active pedals, full-motion rigs, haptic feedback and cockpits that closely replicate the feeling of driving. Direct drive, once expensive, now sits around £250 (about $320), while active pedals remain near £750 (about $960). Simagic launched its belt-driven P-Active pedal at $999 just before the doors opened, a sign that premium features are reaching a wider market.
The show was not only about hardware. Kunos brought Assetto Corsa Rally and Assetto Corsa Evo and gave visitors their first hands-on time with the upcoming free-roam mode, arriving with the early-access update on December 9. Top Gear described the German roads around the Nordschleife as "spookily accurate". RaceRoom showcased one of the largest updates in its history, with new historical content, tracks, an interface overhaul and major changes to force feedback, VR and multiplayer.
Image: chatyt.io — https://chatyt.io/trending/the-best-of-simracing-expo-charlotte-2026-highlights-innovations
The audience also followed online: more than 35,000 people watched the YouTube programme, where new products were revealed. The two figures measure different things and should not be added together, and they say nothing about sales or the performance of individual exhibitors.
The move to Frankfurt appears to have worked. The first US edition, in Charlotte, North Carolina, drew almost 9,000 visitors. The 2027 show returns to Frankfurt on 17 and 18 September, with more space. Sim racing is not mainstream yet, but its move out of the niche now looks concrete.
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