Forza Series

There’s no such thing as “too many tracks”. Any sim racer will tell you that. Of course, just like the available garage that ships with a new title, the track roster is always going to be limited by time. Developers have to walk a fine line, including tracks that (hopefully) please as much of the player base as possible. Some, as it turns out, will end up more popular than others.

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Just last week, we brought you images of the Gran Turismo Hot Wheels collections set to arrive in stores later this year. What we overlooked at the time was that the site responsible for the sneak peak (the T-Hunted blog) also had a smaller, interesting look at the other big console racing tie-up with the diecast giant: Forza.

Including the famous German track Nürburgring Nordschleife in modern video games isn’t the rarity it once was. Console players were technically first introduced to the Green Hell back in 2003 with Project Gotham Racing 2, though that version was scaled up by roughly 10% to increase passing opportunities online. A more accurately-sized model arrived a year later with Gran Turismo 4, and has since spread to numerous other titles in the decade following.

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Last month, we shared more gameplay details regarding Turn 10’s upcoming free-to-play Forza title for Windows 10 platform. Fans of the popular driving simulation series have been discussing the studio’s announcement that Forza Motorsport 6: Apex won’t feature steering wheel support. Among many of the things that are expected to be reduced in size and/or detail, this one is particularly alarming, as it can drastically affect the joy of playing a driving simulation on PC.

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The world of eSports has seen exponential growth as of late, becoming the de facto standard in representing the fierce competition available in some of the most popular gaming franchises currently available. That environment now has to contend with the first virtual championship of the FIA Formula E — the Race Off Pro Series, and it’s coming to Forza Motorsport 6.

We’ve all got some special friends on social media… You know who I’m talking about: the people who share everything they come across, regardless of how ridiculous it looks or sounds?

It was around two weeks ago when we shared more details regarding Turn 10’s plan to expand the territory of the Forza Motorsport series by launching a special title to the Windows platform. Known as Forza Motorsport 6: Apex, the new title was touted as a free-to-play, ‘slimmed down’ version of regular Forza Motorsport games, aiming for a more casual players.

“Where is the S14?” While that particular refrain will no doubt echo on in the face of this month’s FM6 DLC, the Meguiar’s Car Pack does at least address one of the most-requested vehicles, with Ferrari’s turbocharged, 661bhp 488 GTB finding its way into the game. The berlinetta is arguably overshadowed by other additions, as this pack drills into the history books to present cars that are making their racing game debuts.

For the full effect, you’ll want to read that title in your best Jan Brady voice.

With the recent reveal of the ultra exclusive Centenario and the accompanying announcement that it will be featured in the next Forza game, Lamborghini has been a hot commodity this week. As a part of the ongoing partnership between Forza Motorsport and Lamborghini, a brand new program featured exclusively in Forza Motorsport 6 has been revealed: the Lamborghini Super Trofeo race series.

What we’re looking at above is what could be the first official acknowledgement of Forza Horizon 3. Much as they did with Motorsport 6, Turn 10 has announced a cover car at a major automotive event, this time at the Palexpo during the Geneva Auto Show. Now we know why some of the studio’s higher-ups are on the ground in Switzerland…

Hot on the heels of the news of PC-based Apex spin-off, Turn 10 unleashed the long-awaited Porsche Expansion Pack for Forza 6 today. The pack spans six decades of the storied marque’s history, from the 1955 550A Spyder to the Le Mans-winning 2015 919 Hybrid. It also ups the track count, introducing Virginia International Raceway to the lineup with seven different layouts, as well as both night and rain variations.

It seems that recent indicators regarding a possible expansion of Turn 10’s ultimate seller Forza Motorsport to the PC platform are really becoming something to rely on. According to a cached version of an article at The Seattle Times (which was quickly deleted, though the details have now been made official), Turn 10 and Microsoft are working on an exclusive for Windows 10, titled Forza Motorsport 6: Apex. The game will appear this spring.

Community Bounty Hunter is a divisive topic in the land of Forza. While some welcome the challenge it provides, others are frustrated by the limitations imposed on game content through the event. Case in point: this month saw the feature return to the series, with a classic Aston Martin Vantage up for grabs (returning to the game after last being seen in Forza 4).

Forza, along with other first-tier exclusives like Halo and Gears of War in the Microsoft camp, is considered a “system-seller”. Sony has Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, and of course, Gran Turismo. These games help move hardware: it’s no coincidence that the highest-selling title in Gran Turismo history (GT3) was bundled with the best-selling home console.