For the new space simulation Star Wars: Squadrons, you actually need a flight stick to play it properly. That’s why MeinMMO author Jürgen Horn wanted to buy one. But there are no flight sticks available at reasonable prices anywhere! A certain game and its fans are to blame for this.
Why does Jürgen need a flight stick so badly? I usually play exclusively with mouse and keyboard, only sometimes with action RPGs like Marvel’s Avengers or Assassin’s Creed I like to use the gamepad, because it is simply more convenient.
With the new space simulator Star Wars: Squadrons, which has received a good rating on Metacritic, I can forget about controlling it with the mouse and keyboard. It’s just a hassle, and I end up struggling with the mouse, making my ship sway as if my pilot were completely drunk.
Using the gamepad is a bit better, but let’s be honest: A simulation like Squadrons is best played with a flight stick.
Since I really enjoy Squadrons, I want to experience the game the way it deserves, in my opinion: with a flight stick and an additional throttle. So I wanted to buy one specifically for Squadrons. But that turned out to be harder than expected.
Flight Simulator Causes Shortage
This is how the shopping went: To get a stick – I wanted a mid-priced flight stick with throttle like the Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas One – I went to various electronics stores in the nearest big city. I visited three large shops and there was no stick available in the quality I wanted!
Even online at Amazon and co., there was nothing to be had. At least not at regular prices.
A simple Thrustmaster T16000M FCS, which doesn’t even have a separate throttle, now costs 146 euros from third-party sellers. It used to be available for only around 60 euros. The price has thus more than doubled!
eBay also doesn’t look any better, with prices of 200 euros or more for the T.Flight Hotas One visible. What the hell is going on?
That’s why the sticks are all gone: The reason for the shortage of good joysticks is primarily one game. It all started with the release of the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 in August.
According to The Verge, flight sticks in gaming peripherals are a niche product, as they are mainly needed for complex simulations like the MS Flight Simulator or the hardcore mode of War Thunder.
With the release of the flight simulator – which was also available through the Xbox Game Pass – and the recent launch of Star Wars: Squadrons, the market now seems to be almost completely sold out.
At least the current flight simulator is the newest representative of this series in 14(!) years, and many old fans and newly added hobby pilots through the Game Pass have probably already gotten their hands on the best sticks.
When there will be a restock is uncertain.
I just want to fly!
It really annoys me that I can now only get a stick that costs around 60 euros for a multiple of that price. It’s already slightly decadent to buy a new gaming device just for one game, but for that price it’s just too much for me.
I have now, however, pre-ordered the T.Flight Hotas One on Amazon and hope that it arrives while Star Wars Squadrons is still interesting for me. For now, I guess I have to continue playing with the Xbox controller.
Thank you, you flight nerds!
Jürgen Horn
Editor at MeinMMO
This year 2020 seems to be the year of shortages. After everything started with the hoarding of toilet paper, consoles and graphics cards also became scarce in the meantime and were only offered online at exorbitant prices.
Especially bad is the PlayStation 5, which is practically always sold out and only available at astronomical prices online.
