This is potentially good news from a potential QA standpoint given MadCatz's history. It will be interesting to see what Logitech does with Saitek's portfolio:

http://kotaku.com/mad-catz-sells-Saitek-to- Logitech -1786689563?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kotaku%2Ffull+%28Kotaku%29

SaiTECH or LogiTEK joysticks?

This is very strange to me. You would think that Saitek lost to the competition... but what competition? TM is more expensive and CH is still in the 90s. Saitek was in a good spot of not so pricey yet good enough (in part, at least).

I can't believe they're going down because of the quality... but they are so... marking shirking perhaps?

Who knows, that acquisition by Mad Catz also seemed weird back in the day, they must have been having troubles even then?

Also, no matter what one can say about the quality, they at least had the testicles to try new things... Perhaps not the best quality stuff, but hey, new stuff. Like the X-65 with its force sensing, those low-cost left/right handed Cyborgs or the multi panel thingies.

Overall it was a good company, the quality just declined.

Also, I hope, Guillemont will get a little worried by this and get off their asses. Logitech is not Mad Catz, Logitech is very well known and has a big distribution network around the globe. Which means they get to sell in places where Thrustmaster doesn't even exist.

EDIT: well, I don't know nothing 'bout this stock market thing, but, yeah that ain't lookin' good:

It's good to remember talking about QC that G-940 - product without competition other than "dinosaurs" MSFFB2 USB (discontinued in ~2003) - was killed in the marked due: save manufacture costs in mm of wire, and in pot' quality...

If this is true, it'll be interesting to see what Logi does with the Saitek line.

I still have my G940 and it still works well, although I periodically have to disassemble and reroute the wires because they are taut and yanking.
The biggest issue now is the rubberized grip is starting to get...well, sticky with age.

What sucks is there are no replacements...no FFB HOTAS exist. If I go non-FFB, given that I need to get throttle, stick, and pedals, I'm looking at spending at least 2x what the G940 cost me in 2009.

I've thought about staging it by replacing the pedals first with a USB-only type (since I can use stick and throttle without the pedals, but I can't use those pedals without the stick and throttle) and then getting the others later. Still, it seems like EVERY HOTAS out there has issues with price, quality, performance, or some combination. No clear winner.



The Jedi Master

Wow I did not see that coming! I remember the first Saitek HOTAS I bought back in the late 1990s was the X36. I loved that stick but the rubber grip got sticky after lots of use... So I moved on to the MS Sidewider and Precision Pro line for a while.

I am still/currently using my TM HOTAS Cougar from 2004. Albeit with upgraded hall sensors, gimbals, throttle bushings, stick grip allen screws along with the Elite rudder pedals with an upgraded hall sensor. I have a Saitek Av8tor for arcade game use as well as the TM MFDs and a Logitech FFB wheel.

I guess the biggest killer of these sim peripheral companies is that there's not a lot of continual sales from existing customers. I mean I haven't bought a new stick and wheel in like 8 years!

There's alternative for put a "brain" in G-940 pedals, making then standalone, although none "PnP".
This looks "PnP" - same connector but need re-route pot wires internally, to match their pinout. 35$.
http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=187

This cost ~10$ - can be fitted inside, including preserving the DB-15 cable for connect in throttle - if find reason to do this latter.