The real reason for hard seats, especially in many race car gaming chairs, often boils down to cost and construction. Many of these chairs are built with lower-quality mechanisms and seating components. If a softer foam were used, it wouldn’t provide enough padding, and you’d likely feel the metal frame beneath, making the seat uncomfortable and less durable. In contrast, using cheaper, harder foam not only avoids this issue but also significantly boosts profit margins for manufacturers, as it’s less expensive and more durable over time, albeit at the cost of comfort. This trade-off allows companies to keep production costs low while maintaining a certain level of functionality.

Instead of being honest with consumers, companies used their powerful Marketing message to tout the idea that the hard, stiff nature of these seats was actually a benefit, claiming that soft foam would break down quickly and lose its shape. This messaging was misleading, as it suggested that a hard seat was necessary for durability, thereby justifying the discomfort many users experienced.