A bomb has been dropped in the racing games world, as according to a former Turn 10 employee, Fred Russell, following the most recent round of layoffs, Xbox has canceled the Forza Motorsport series.
Almost 50% of the Turn 10 employees were impacted by the recent Microsoft layoffs, with the remaining employees now focused on supporting the Forza Horizon Series.
The end of a historic racing games franchise
Since its inception in 2005, Forza Motorsport has become one of the most popular and beloved racing game franchises, serving as the go-to racing simulation game for drivers worldwide.
So, this isn't just a game shutting down, it's a big part of racing games' history that comes to a sudden and saddening end. The worst part is that it's highly unlikely that the franchise will be revived in the near future.
As mentioned above, Turn 10 Studios will now turn their attention to the Forza Horizon Series, which has gained a lot of popularity in recent years and has become the go-to Forza title for many players.
This is all according to ex-Turn 10 employee, Fred Russell, who said the following:
"Turn 10 Studios has shuttered the Forza Motorsport space and the team is no more. A very sad day for one of the best car racing video games. The studio is open to support the Horizon side… shuttered the Forza Motorsport side only"
It's unlikely this will affect Forza Horizon 6 development, as the title is still being developed by Playground Games. Forza Horizon 6 is scheduled to be released in 2025, when Xbox celebrates its 25th anniversary.
However, there is a possibility that Turn 10 and Playground Games merge, creating a studio responsible for everything related to the Forza franchise.
Stay tuned to racinggames.gg: The home of virtual motorsport.