A former Turn 10 Studios employee has announced that Forza Motorsport and its team have shuttered. While there's no official word from the studio yet, the insider information adds to a series of updates and leaks swirling throughout the gaming industry amid Microsoft's latest layoffs. If true, it's a sad day for Forza Motorsport fans, even if the broader Forza series carries on.

Several Microsoft-owned studios have already announced cutbacks and cancellations amid the mass firings. Turn 10 hasn't made any formal announcement regarding the restructuring, but the Forza Motorsport team was "bracing for layoffs", according to one report. It seems now that the brace was unfortunately necessary, with the studio facing an uncertain future after the reported cancellation of its flagship series.

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Report: Microsoft Begins Making Significant Layoffs

New reports indicate that Microsoft is going ahead with significant layoffs to its workforce, with many affecting its Xbox gaming division.

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In a Facebook post shared on Resetera, former Turn 10 Studios employee Fred Russell said that the company had stopped work on Forza Motorsport and disbanded the team working on it. Russell offers no more details beyond that, and it's unclear where exactly the information is coming from, but as someone who has previously worked on the series, he likely has ties to current employees with insider knowledge. As sad as the report is, it would make sense, too, even though Forza Motorsport just celebrated its 20th anniversary, given the higher popularity of Forza Horizon and the ongoing Microsoft layoffs.

Turn 10 Studios Has Reportedly Ended Work on Forza Motorsport

Russell did not say that Turn 10 was closing entirely, with his wording suggesting that it was rather downsizing and shifting focus away from Motorsport. Some have theorized that the studio may be transitioning to a support team for the Forza Horizon series, which has been a bright spot for Microsoft lately. The release of Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 reportedly made Xbox over $100 million in revenue, becoming a shining example of the company's recent strategy of moving away from console exclusivity. Still, how exactly things will go for the Turn 10 team from here is uncertain.

Forza is far from the only iconic Microsoft series to suffer some setbacks amid the current round of layoffs. An anonymous developer has claimed that Halo Studios has lost at least five employees from the company's cost-cutting measures, following a gradual shift to contracted development. Call of Duty and The Elder Scrolls Online have also felt the impact on their teams. News of more studios and games suffering the effects may come out in the days to come, too, considering the scope of the planned firings, although Xbox is just part of Microsoft's global presence.

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Forza Motorsport (2023) Tag Page Cover Art

Forza Motorsport (2023)
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Racing
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Systems
PC-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 89%
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Released
October 10, 2023
ESRB
t
Developer(s)
Turn 10 Studios
Publisher(s)
Xbox Game Studios
Engine
Forza Tech
Multiplayer
Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
Franchise
Forza Motorsport, Forza
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Race over 500 real-world cars including modern race cars and more than 100 cars new to Forza Motorsport. Make every lap count across 20 living tracks with fan-favorite locations and multiple track layouts to master, each featuring live on-track scoring, fully dynamic time-of-day with weather and unique driving conditions that ensure no two laps ever look or play the same.

Experience a cutting-edge simulation with incredible photorealistic visuals that deliver real-time ray tracing on-track, new damage and dirt accumulation systems, and massively upgraded physics featuring powerful assists and a 48x improvement in tire fidelity.

Out-build the competition by earning over 800 performance upgrades and race our most advanced AI opponents yet in an all-new, fun and rewarding single-player campaign, the Builders Cup Career Mode.

Compete for the podium in Featured Multiplayer* events with a race weekend inspired structure or create the racing you and your friends desire in Free Play. Online racing is safer, more fun and more competitive with AI-powered Forza Race Regulations, tire and fuel strategy, and new driver and safety ratings.

Genre(s)
Racing
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty
How Long To Beat
20 Hours