HOTAS & Joysticks
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The short answer
Best for someone who wants a metal-built, U.S. Air Force-licensed HOTAS and flies on PC only. Skip it if you need Xbox compatibility; the current Warthog line connects to PC only, not console.
Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog MKII
Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog Flight StickThe Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog is one of the best-documented HOTAS systems on the market. Read its current spec closely before you buy. Two details decide who it suits: it connects to PC only, and it has two throttle levers that move on their own.
Thrustmaster's listing for the HOTAS Warthog MKII lists what comes in the package. You get the redesigned Warthog base, the A-10C dual throttle, a Viper grip and a desktop mounting plate. Everything connects to a PC with a detachable USB-C cable. There is no wireless option. As of the current spec sheet, there is no console connection at all.
Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog MKII
Our verdict:
The current full Warthog HOTAS system
Best for PC-only simmers who want a redesigned base, an included A-10C throttle and a Viper grip in one purchase.
View on AmazonKeep in mind: it is PC only, so it will not connect to Xbox or PlayStation.
Product details checked September 2026
The grip has a metal structure. The base pairs a metal build with anti-stiction ball bearings. Those details are aimed at simmers who fly often enough that a plastic base would wear or flex over time.
The Viper grip has 19 action buttons, a 2-step trigger and an 8-way hat switch. The throttle adds 17 action buttons and a mouse hat for slewing. Counted together, the system supports up to 128 buttons and 8 axes.
Thrustmaster's H.E.A.R.T. Hall-effect sensors read each axis at 16-bit resolution. That is much finer than the potentiometer sensors in many cheaper sticks.
The throttle has two levers that move on their own, with a system to lock them together. It is built for twin-engine aircraft, where each engine needs its own throttle input. If you mostly fly single-engine planes, this feature does less for you. A single-lever HOTAS may serve you just as well.
Before the MKII, Thrustmaster sold the HOTAS Warthog as a classic stick and a separate dual throttle. We could not confirm that classic set as a single combined listing. So we treat it, and link it, as its two halves: the stick and the throttle, each bought on its own.
The MKII changes that. It ships the redesigned base, the A-10C throttle and a Viper grip together as one product, with a newer 6-pin connector. If you want current, bundled Warthog hardware rather than hunting down the classic halves, the MKII is that product.
Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog Flight Stick
Our verdict:
The classic all-metal stick, sold separately
Best for simmers who already own a Warthog-compatible throttle and just want the classic metal stick to pair with it.
View on AmazonKeep in mind: it does not include a throttle, so you need one from elsewhere to complete a setup.
Product details checked September 2026
The classic metal stick above suits you if you already own a Warthog-compatible throttle. Our Warthog joystick review covers that stick on its own. Our full Warthog system page covers buying both classic halves.
Thrustmaster's dimensions for the MKII put the full base and throttle at roughly 6.6 kg. Assembled, it measures about 320 mm wide, 260 mm deep and 440 mm tall. That is heavier and deeper than most single-stick HOTAS units. The metal base and the wide throttle account for most of it.
Measure your desk before you buy. The base and throttle sit side by side, so you need flat width for both, plus the mounting plate that holds them in place. You also need enough depth that the throttle's forward travel doesn't run off the edge.
You map the Warthog's buttons and axes in Thrustmaster's T.A.R.G.E.T. software. Thrustmaster says it ships with preset profiles for well-known games, so you don't always start from a blank map. The system supports up to 128 buttons and 8 axes.
So on a first setup, decide on a small set of core functions before you assign anything. Think gear, flaps and trim, then weapons or system toggles for what you fly. Don't map everything you can reach and sort it out later.
Next to a plastic single-lever HOTAS, the Warthog's strengths are long life and twin-engine control. Day-one ease of use is not one of them. A lighter stick is quicker to set up on a small desk. It is also a safer bet if you aren't sure flight sims will be a long-term hobby.
The Warthog earns back its size and weight if you fly often enough that a lighter base would flex. It also pays off if you fly twin-engine planes, where separate throttle control is a real, felt difference. If you aren't sure yet, start with a lighter HOTAS and upgrade once you know you'll use the extra capability. Our Thrustmaster HOTAS guide compares the lighter models.
Thrustmaster's current spec sheet lists the HOTAS Warthog as PC only. If you need Xbox support, this is not your HOTAS. Look at hardware built for Xbox instead, such as Thrustmaster's own T.Flight HOTAS One.
The U.S. Air Force licenses the Warthog line, but that license covers the aircraft likeness. It is not a promise that it works with any given sim.
High-end HOTAS systems like this one run out of stock from time to time. They sell in smaller numbers than mainstream single-stick options. If a listing is out of stock, check the seller's own page. Don't assume a lookalike product is the same. A similar HOTAS at a different price level may lack the metal base, the two-lever throttle or the Hall-effect sensors that make this one worth its desk space.
Thrustmaster keeps one grip mount across its Warthog-era hardware. So the Viper grip that ships with the MKII isn't your only option. Simmers who focus on one aircraft often plan to move to a grip for that jet later. They keep the same base and throttle underneath.
That is part of why the Warthog HOTAS system holds its value. The base and throttle are the long-term investment. The grip is the piece most likely to change as your flying shifts.
The system uses detachable USB-C cables. A damaged cable doesn't mean replacing the whole unit, since a fresh cable of the same type restores the link. Route the cables away from chair casters and feet under the desk. That avoids the most common cause of connector wear on a system this heavy. The cables here see more strain than on a light, single-piece stick that rarely gets moved.
The Warthog suits PC-only simmers who fly often enough to want a metal build and a two-lever throttle. It fits best if twin-engine planes are part of your regular flying. It is a poor fit if you fly only now and then or only fly single-engine planes. It is also the wrong pick if you need a console stick. In any of those cases, a lighter HOTAS covers the same ground in less desk space.
The Warthog HOTAS is worth buying if you want a metal, U.S. Air Force-licensed HOTAS and fly on PC only. Skip it if you need Xbox support, since the current Warthog line connects to PC only. Decide up front whether you want the bundled MKII or the classic stick and throttle bought as two halves. It is a long-term PC purchase, so buy it once you know you fly combat sims often.
No, Thrustmaster lists the current HOTAS Warthog as PC only. If you need Xbox compatibility, look at hardware built for that console, such as the T.Flight HOTAS One, instead.
Thrustmaster's own spec sheet does not name specific simulator titles for the Warthog line. It maps into any sim that accepts standard USB HOTAS input and Thrustmaster's T.A.R.G.E.T. software, which is how most PC flight sims, including MSFS, DCS World and X-Plane, are set up to accept third-party controllers.
The MKII is Thrustmaster's redesigned base, which ships bundled with the A-10C throttle and a Viper stick grip and a modernized connector. The original Warthog set is the classic stick and throttle, which Thrustmaster and most retailers now treat as two separate half-purchases rather than one bundled listing.
That depends on how much use it gets. The metal base and grip are built for heavy, repeated use rather than occasional flying, and the dual independent throttle levers specifically suit twin-engine aircraft. If you fly casually and only single-engine aircraft, a lighter HOTAS may suit you just as well.
