It has been a darkish week for Xbox followers as many studios have downsized tremendously, video games have been cancelled, and extra. Now, it appears to be like like those that had been followers of the racing sim franchise Forza Motorsport shouldn’t maintain out for any new video games within the franchise. Xbox has at all times had just a few key pillar franchises such as Halo, Gears of Warfare, and Forza. All three franchises have launched considerably repeatedly (although Halo and Gears have definitely slowed down lately) and been constant showcase video games, highlighting the ability of the respective consoles they launched on. Forza even started to department out with the extra in style and arcade-y Forza Horizon collection, which has since made its method to PS5.

Nonetheless, some racing followers have most well-liked the extra hardcore, very sim heavy expertise that Forza Motorsport supplied. PlayStation has Gran Turismo, which is extraordinarily detailed and places gamers as near being in an actual race expertise as doable and Forza Motorsport supplied a really comparable factor for Xbox gamers. Whereas Horizon surpassed it for being extra accessible, there has at all times been love for Motorsport. Sadly, Forza Motorsport’s future appears to be like slim to none following mass layoffs directed at developer Flip 10 Studios.

Forza Motorsport Team Reportedly Shut Down After Xbox Layoffs

Microsoft laid off 9,000 folks this week, canceled a number of video games like Good Darkish, shuttered developer The Initiative, and it made the long run look notably bleak. Forza Motorsport developer Flip 10 Studios was one of many studios to get hit the toughest as they misplaced almost 50% of their employees. Now, it has been claimed by ex-Flip 10 worker Fred Russell that Flip 10 Studios shuttered the complete Forza Motorsport crew and all remaining workers are primarily there to assist Forza Horizon, which is primarily developed by Playground Games. Russell hasn’t labored at Flip 10 in a while, so whereas it’s doable that his info isn’t completely correct, he’s doubtless nonetheless linked to folks on the studio and it makes him a good supply. To not point out, it’s arduous to think about a studio placing out a recreation of that scale after shedding half of its employees.

The final Motorsport recreation, merely titled Forza Motorsport, was the eight installment within the franchise and was launched in 2023. The collection celebrated its twentieth anniversary in Might and resulted in a giant replace to Forza Motorsport. Sadly, it looks like that could be the final recreation within the collection for fairly some time or possibly even without end. Forza Horizon 6 is predicted to launch someday subsequent 12 months and can doubtless additionally launch on PS5 given the immense success of the fifth recreation on the console.

Whereas Horizon has been the extra dominant collection for some time, it’s a bummer that each franchises couldn’t thrive concurrently. Perhaps in the future Forza Motorsport will get a brand new recreation, however don’t maintain your breath. On the very least, it looks like Forza Horizon will proceed to provide followers a racing fill. The Horizon video games are much more centered on open-world driving, extra arcade-y races that aren’t as grounded in actuality, and enjoyable gameplay upgrades like seasons that impression the climate within the recreation. It’s unclear what new innovation the subsequent Forza Horizon recreation will deliver to the desk, however it should doubtless proceed to push the franchise ahead in a positive course.

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