Steam Deck accessories are becoming increasingly common, but a designer is cooking up a way to transform the portable system into a PC steering wheel. Dubbed the Sol Wheel, the add-on aims to make the best racing games even better on Valve’s handheld, and it could save you from buying the real deal.
Ethan Solodukhin – of Esol Designs – is the one behind the wheel, and while the best Steam Deck dock and SD cards are a handy way to give some overall pep to your portable PC, the Sol Wheel seems like it could be perfect for racing game enthusiasts. Currently heading into its second day of a 60-day campaign, the attachable Steam Deck accessory is very much in the early stages of development, but it looks like it has potential.
A video on the Kickstarter page shows a render of the wheel and how it’s likely to work, with it attaching to the Deck and then being clamped to a desk. A clip uploaded to Reddit last month shows a prototype for the Sol Wheel in action, as Solodukhin steers his vehicle in F1 2022, but the accessory could probably be used for other racing games like Dirt Rally, Forza Horizon 5, or Gran Turismo Sport.
According to Esol Designs, the rationale behind the Sol Wheel is to offer a “cheaper alternative” to other steering wheel accessories, adding that it will be “primarily” for the Steam Deck. This implies the kit could be compatible with other devices, but Ethan hasn’t said which ones yet. It’ll also be one great space saver, considering how bulky other PC wheels are.
The Kickstarter page says that the next step is to add a spring function to the wheel, instead of a rubberband one. There are also plans to add more colour and create some dashboard functionality.
At the time of writing, the campaign only has two backers, but its creator is hoping to raise $10,000 USD (£8,671 GBP). Remember, there’s always a risk when pledging to Kickstarter or any crowdfunded project as you’re supporting the project in principle and not buying a finished product, so keep that in mind if you do back the Sol Wheel. There are no guarantees that developers will reach their end goal, or even release a finished product (looking at you Star Citizen), but it does sound like it could be a useful Steam Deck accessory.
