“There are no plans for a separate sequel.”
Dan Greenawalt, GM of the Forza franchise, has spent twenty years on Motorsport games. His comments in a post-Xbox Showcase briefing on Sunday hinted that this upcoming launch might conclude the series. Forza Motorsport is the eighth instalment in Turn 10 Studios’ racing simulation saga, and the first fresh addition in almost five years.
Forza has been one of Microsoft’s most steadfast first-party assets. Excluding the spinoff Horizon series by Playground Games, the original Xbox boasted one Forza title, the Xbox 360 three, and the Xbox One three. Save for a few launch glitches, every title has received positive reviews and the franchise has collectively sold millions. We’re now in the third year of this console generation, and a Motorsport game is yet to hit the market for fans.
Much has shifted since the arrival of Forza Motorsport 7 in September 2017. The “day one with Game Pass” movement kicked off with Sea Of Thieves in 2018 and has since become the cornerstone of Microsoft’s business model. Today, Microsoft gauges success akin to a social network (or tech news outlet), emphasising monthly active users and gameplay duration over sales figures.
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Therefore, it’s not shocking that Forza Motorsport is designed more like a service game than a conventional AAA game.
Whilst several familiar modes for Forza enthusiasts, particularly the online multiplayer element, are being redesigned and enhanced, Turn 10 is banking on its new career mode to keep players engaged weekly. At Summer Game Fest, Chris Esaki, the game’s creative director, walked a group of journalists through this novel career-mode cycle and the change in approach for the franchise.
Esaki portrayed Forza Horizon as “an entirely novel way of falling for cars.” We were shown a career mode event named the Builders Cup, which commenced with a narrated display of three cars. After selecting one, you proceed to “open practice,” where you familiarise yourself with the car. These sessions are loaded with stats and challenges; you gain Car Experience Points (CXP) for every corner you navigate, and the closer to perfection you are, the more CXP you earn. CXP is unique to each car and is utilized for upgrading components and customizing vehicle performance.
Post open practice, you participate in a race, featuring a new “challenge the grid” system that allows you to gamble on your racing skill. You determine your starting position on the grid and your AI opponents’ speed, with greater rewards as the difficulty increases. After the race, you earn money for new cars and more car-specific CXP. Then, it’s onto the next open practice, further tuning and customization, and additional races.
Esaki refers to this cycle as “level, build, dominate.” He views it as a method to pique players’ interest in a wide array of cars, rather than driving them straight to a Ferrari or Bugatti. While it might echo the spirit of another popular racing simulation, Gran Turismo 7’s cups and café challenges certainly share elements, the Builders Cup feels more distinct and replicable. It’s all by design: echoing recent Forza Horizon games, players can anticipate a substantial content update every month, gradually rolled out week-by-week.
We’re likely to learn more about Forza Motorsport as we approach its October 10th release. I’m excited to test the new simulation features, including a significantly revamped physics system and improved opponent AI. For now, though, the premise seems promising. I’m a big fan of Gran Turismo 7, but for those who don’t enjoy online sim racing and the associated toxicity, its single-player mode is rather bare. Conversely, Turn 10 appears to have crafted Forza Motorsport as an everlasting game, with weekly novel experiences aimed to satisfy gamers’ cravings for fresh races and Microsoft’s need for monthly active users.
Get all of the Summer Game Fest news right here!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Forza Motorsport everlasting game
What is the new Forza Motorsport game design approach?
The new Forza Motorsport is designed more like a service game rather than a conventional AAA title. It is intended to be an everlasting game with new experiences every week to satisfy gamers’ desires for fresh races.
How does the new career mode work in Forza Motorsport?
The new career mode in Forza Motorsport, called the Builders Cup, starts with a narrated showcase of three cars. Players pick one and proceed to an “open practice” to familiarize with the car. After this, players participate in a race with a new “challenge the grid” system where they can bet against their racing skills. Players then earn Car Experience Points (CXP) and money for new vehicles, with the cycle repeating for more practice, tuning, and races.
How often are updates expected in the new Forza Motorsport?
In line with recent Forza Horizon games, players of the new Forza Motorsport can expect a significant content update monthly, which is then rolled out gradually on a week-by-week basis.
What is the anticipated release date for the new Forza Motorsport?
The new Forza Motorsport is expected to be released on October 10th.
How has the business model of Microsoft changed since the release of Forza Motorsport 7?
Microsoft has shifted its business model since the release of Forza Motorsport 7. It now emphasizes monthly active users and gameplay duration over sales figures. This shift was marked by the “day one with Game Pass” movement which started with Sea Of Thieves in 2018.
More about Forza Motorsport everlasting game
- Forza Motorsport Official Site
- Xbox Game Pass
- Microsoft’s Business Model
- Turn 10 Studios
- Summer Game Fest
- Gran Turismo 7
- Sea Of Thieves
- BuyTechBlog
10 comments
Builder’s cup, open practice, level build dominate, sounds fun. Hope the gameplay lives up to it.
Microsoft is just milking the Game Pass, aren’t they. All about those active users, huh?
Wow! Forza stepping up their game! Very intrigued by the “challenge the grid” system.
That career mode sounds epic. Builders Cup, here I come!
end of an era? No distinct sequel… kinda sad, y’know. But hope the everlasting game works out.
Wait what, no more sequels?? Don’t know how to feel about this…
Sounds promising, but what about multiplayer? They better not mess it up like some other games.
What a refreshing approach, loving the new features, can’t wait to try it.
Man, cant wait to get my hands on this! Hope it lives up to the hype tho…
October 10 can’t come soon enough! Bring it on, Forza!