ProtoSimTech will be closing it’s doors at the end of 2020

I really wanted to do this in video form, as it helps convey my attitude and emotional state, but I just don’t have the time, at the moment. As some of you already know, I had a very big announcement to make. Well, this is it.

I know that some of you were speculating about a new product. Unfortunately, that’s not happening. My father and I have had a lot of discussions about this, and I came to the conclusion that this is the right decision for me. I know this will come as a shock to all of you, but for my sanity and general well being, I need to do this. There are other reasons, of course. One of them being the fact that I just want to do something else with my life.

I won’t go into details on what that will be, but it’s something I have always wanted to do, and I feel that now is the right time to get started. It won’t be easy, and chances are I may fail the first few times, but that’s OK. There were several people that told me this company and product would never work, and I was doomed to fail. Well, that didn’t happen. Even though this is still a very small company, and we don’t have massive sales numbers, I made it work, and I’m very proud of that. I know that with enough time, dedication, and hard work, whatever I do next, I will succeed.

So, what now? No more pedal sets? Not exactly…

We’ve been planning this for quite awhile now. The plan is to make at least 4 or 5 more batches of pedal sets, and then close up shop. That’s still the plan, as of right now. These plans could change, of course, but for now, this is what we’re going to do.

So, if you haven’t had the chance to purchase a pedal set from us, don’t panic just yet. You still have plenty of chances to do so. Right now, batch #7 is in production, and it’s looking like a September release, as of this moment. This isn’t set in stone, so keep that in mind. The plan is to make at least 2 more batches this year, maybe 3 if I can make it work. Then, batches 4 and 5 (maybe) will be in 2020.

Final thoughts…

You know, I’ve been doing this for 7 years now. It’s been one hell of a ride, and I’ve learned more in this past 7 years than I feel I have my entire life. I’ve also had the opportunity to do things I never thought I’d be able to do, and I’m very grateful for that.

I am also extremely humbled by the fact that so many people have enjoyed our product. Most sim racing product manufacturers start off very small, and perhaps make a modification or two for an existing product. We started off big. A pedal set is one of the most important pieces to your sim racing experience. I’m going to be just a bit out of character here - to build a product like this, and to have it be a huge success… now, that’s something. That’s really something. If you know anything about me, you’ll know that I don’t like to brag. But, I’m just so damn proud of what I’ve accomplished here, I can’t help but boast about it, just a little bit.

Putting myself aside here, there are several people to which I need to give a huge thanks. Martin Enzmann was our beta tester. In fact, he was the only beta tester we ever had. We didn’t have the resources to build multiple beta versions, but as it turns out, we didn’t need to. Martin gave us such great feedback that we were able to make significant changes to the pedal set. The original PT-1 became something great because of it. So to Martin, I would just like to say thank you. You helped make our pedal set what it is today ;-)

Very early on, Shaun Cole gave us an opportunity to showcase our product, and when you are just starting out as a company in this market, any exposure you can get is vital to your success. Having one of the most influential figures in the community talking about your product was a huge boost for us. Thank you, Shaun. You helped make a big difference.

Barry Rowland… what can I say. Barry is probably the most thorough sim racing product reviewer out there. His reviews can have a huge impact on your product’s success, and that’s a testament to his style and review process. Barry, I want to thank you for the opportunity you gave us, for reviewing both of our products (the original PT-1 and PT2), and for your generous hospitality. You made me feel right at home.

There are so many other people I would like to thank, including those who reviewed our products over the years (including James West from GamerMuscleVideos on YouTube, and Phillip Jansen Van Rensburg from the iRacing forums), but it would take me a lifetime to get to everyone. With that said, I cannot forget about iRacing. I am still baffled by the fact that iRacing allows companies like ours to advertise (almost free of charge) in their own forums. Without iRacing, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with a few members of their staff (one of them even purchased our pedal set!), and they are the greatest bunch of sim racing enthusiasts around. There’s no doubt in my mind that I would not be here today writing this message after 7 years without iRacing. Thank you.

In closing, I would just like to say that ProtoSimTech may be closing it’s doors, but I will never give up my passion for sim racing. Back in 2002, I was searching the internet for racing games when I came across an obscure article about a mod called “GTR 2002”. That’s where it all started. I’ll never forget the moment I saw real 3D wheels on a Porsche 996. At that moment, I was hooked. I can’t tell you how much money I’ve spent on sim racing gear since then, but I bet I could buy a house or two ;-)