Has Forza Motorsport Been Binned? Ex-Turn 10 Dev Claims the Series is Donezo After Microsoft's Layoffs

AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·

Has Forza Motorsport Been Binned? Ex-Turn 10 Dev Claims the Series is Donezo After Microsoft's Layoffs

A former Turn 10 employee claims Forza Motorsport is dead after Microsoft layoffs, but the Horizon series lives on for now. Is this the end of an era for sim racing on Xbox, or just a pit stop?

Right, buckle up, petrolheads. Things are looking a bit grim for the Forza Motorsport series. According to Fred Russell, a former content coordinator at Turn 10 Studios (the folks behind Forza Motorsport) the Motorsport division has been, shall we say, given the old heave-ho. He dropped this bombshell on Facebook, saying "Turn 10 Studios has shuttered the Forza Motorsport space and the team is no more." Ouch.

Now, before you start hoarding virtual petrol and weeping into your racing wheel, it seems the Horizon series is safe… for now. Russell clarified that the studio is still open to support the Horizon side of things. So, you can still hoon around in your digital dream cars, just maybe not on a meticulously simulated racetrack any time soon.

But what does this mean? Well, it's all tied to Microsoft's recent bloodbath, where they reportedly slashed 9,000 jobs across the company, with a hefty chunk apparently coming from the gaming division, including almost half of Turn 10. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reckons it was a proper cull.

We're talking about some long-serving folks getting the boot, including Business Operations Program Manager Jordy Ressler and content creator John Schommer, who clocked up a decade at the studio. Schommer responded to Russell's post, expressing gratitude for his time as a face and voice for the brand. A real shame, innit?

Eurogamer has reached out to Microsoft for an official comment, but so far, radio silence. (We'll update this if they get back, of course.)

Forza Motorsport has been Microsoft's sim racing flagship since 2005, aimed squarely at giving Gran Turismo a run for its money. Over the years, we've seen seven main entries, plus the more arcadey Forza Horizon spin-offs developed by Playground Games. And let's be honest, the Horizon games have been stealing the limelight for a while now, haven't they? (Maybe that's a clue...just saying.)

Meanwhile, Playground Games are busy beavering away on the new Fable game – though that's been pushed back to 2026. (Seems like everyone's facing headwinds right now.)

So, is this the end of the road for Forza Motorsport? It’s looking a bit shaky, mate. While official confirmation is pending, the word from a former insider doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Guess we'll have to wait and see if Microsoft decides to burn rubber again with the series, or leave it in the pit lane for good. I reckon we'll know soon enough. Stay tuned.

Tags: Forza Motorsport, Turn 10, Microsoft, Gaming Layoffs, Racing Games

Original article: Eurogamer