Last Friday saw the release of Star Wars: Squadrons, and since gamers galaxy-wide first launched their fighters into battle, sales of flight sticks, specifically the Thrustmaster T16000M (which totally should have been my PSN name) have gone through the docking bay roof. PC Gamer take a look at the situation, and how best to get your hands on a flight stick, should you need one.
Recently, the launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator rekindled interest in putting together home cockpits, and flight sticks quickly sold out from big online retailers such as Best Buy, Newegg, and Amazon. Last week, the release of Star Wars Squadrons created another good reason to own a flight stick, and amateur starfighters began buying up the rest of the already short supply of flight sticks.
As a result of the increased demand, desperate pilots have to pay astronomical prices just to secure themselves a flight stick and/or throttle. The Thrustmaster T16000M, for example, normally retails for around $60, but right now the only places that have it in stock are third-party retailers who are selling it for as high as $175 on Amazon.
Some of the best joysticks out have been out of stock for months with no hint of replenishment.
Thrustmaster are back into heavy production to meet with demand, so keep your eyes peeled for more to hit the market soon.
