Forza Motorsport developer Turn 10 Studios has been closely impacted by this week’s brutal Microsoft layoffs, former staff have claimed, reportedly leading to Xbox’s sim racing sequence being wound down.
Former Forza Motorsport content material coordinator Fred Russell has acknowledged that the franchise’s crew is “no extra,” with remaining Turn 10 Studios staff left at the Washington-based firm now targeted on supporting the Forza Horizon sequence as a substitute, which is primarily developed at British outfit Playground Video games.
“Turn 10 Studios has shuttered the Forza Motorsport house and the crew is not any extra,” Russell wrote in a post on Fb. “A really unhappy day for one among the finest automobile racing video video games. I beloved my time there.”
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Responding to a remark relating to Turn 10’s future total, Russell famous that “the studio is open to assist the Horizon facet” and that Microsoft had “shuttered the Forza Motorsport facet solely.”
Chris Harding, one other former Turn 10 Studios worker, prompt that “120 folks” had been “gone from FM facet.” IGN has contacted Microsoft for remark.
Turn 10 Studios’ authentic Forza Motorsport launched for the OG Xbox in 2005, and established the sequence as one among Microsoft’s core gaming manufacturers, in addition to a critical rival to PlayStation’s Gran Turismo. Seven Forza Motorsport sequels have launched since, unfold throughout each Xbox console era.
However the sequence’ authentic sim racing facet has more and more been eclipsed by the success of Forza Horizon, the franchise’s newer, open-world spin-off that first launched on Xbox 360 in 2012. Following a constructive reception, the following decade noticed 4 Forza Horizon sequels comply with.
Xbox Video games Collection Tier Record
Xbox Video games Collection Tier Record
When Xbox boss Phil Spencer just lately confirmed that the subsequent Forza title would arrive in 2026, it was broadly assumed that this meant a brand new entry in the Forza Horizon sequence, slightly than a follow-up to 2023’s most up-to-date Forza Motorsport, which was arrange as one thing of a sequence reboot however launched to a blended response.
Now, Forza Motorsport is reportedly no extra, with nobody at Turn 10 Studios left at present engaged on it.
“The legacy will keep,” Russell concluded, “even when there isn’t any future for the sport.”
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You’ll be able to attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social