Forza Motorsport developer Turn 10 Studios has been closely impacted by this week's brutal Microsoft layoffs, former workers 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 more," with remaining Turn 10 Studios workers left at the Washington-based firm now targeted on supporting the Forza Horizon sequence as an alternative, which is primarily developed at British outfit Playground Games.
"Turn 10 Studios has shuttered the Forza Motorsport space and the team is no more," Russell wrote in a post on Facebook. "A very sad day for one of the best car racing video games. I loved my time there."
Responding to a remark concerning Turn 10's future total, Russell famous that "the studio is open to support the Horizon side" and that Microsoft had "shuttered the Forza Motorsport side only."
Chris Harding, one other former Turn 10 Studios worker, recommended that "120 people" have been "gone from FM side." IGN has contacted Microsoft for remark.
Turn 10 Studios' unique Forza Motorsport launched for the OG Xbox in 2005, and established the sequence as one of Microsoft's core gaming manufacturers, in addition to a severe rival to PlayStation's Gran Turismo. Seven Forza Motorsport sequels have launched since, unfold throughout each Xbox console technology.
But the sequence' unique sim racing aspect 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 optimistic reception, the following decade noticed 4 Forza Horizon sequels observe.
When Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently confirmed that the next Forza title would arrive in 2026, it was extensively assumed that this meant a new entry in the Forza Horizon sequence, relatively than a follow-up to 2023's most up-to-date Forza Motorsport, which was set up as one thing of a sequence reboot however launched to a mixed response.
Now, Forza Motorsport is reportedly no more, with no one at Turn 10 Studios left at present engaged on it.
"The legacy will stay," Russell concluded, "even if there is no future for the game."
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can attain Tom at [email protected] or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social