Summary
- Ex-employee Fred Russell claims Xbox has shut down the Forza Motorsport team at Turn 10 Studios.
- Turn 10 will reportedly now support the more popular Forza Horizon series.
- Microsoft’s recent layoffs affected around 9,000 employees, with Turn 10 losing 50% of its staff.
Forza Motorsport Team Reportedly Disbanded After Xbox Layoffs
The Forza Motorsport team at Turn 10 Studios has reportedly been shut down, according to former developer Fred Russell.
In a message shared on Reddit, Russell stated, “Turn 10 Studios has shuttered the Forza Motorsport space and the team is no more. A very sad day for one of the best car racing video games.” He clarified that while the studio itself is still operational, it now exists to support the Forza Horizon series instead.
This follows the recent wave of Microsoft layoffs that affected about 9,000 employees company-wide, with around 1,000–2,000 cuts coming from the Xbox gaming division. Turn 10 was reportedly hit particularly hard, losing nearly half of its staff during this round of restructuring.
The last Motorsport Title May Be the Final One
The most recent entry in the Forza Motorsport franchise, released in 2023, received solid reviews, earning an 83/84 on Metacritic and 84% on OpenCritic. Despite that, Xbox never reported sales numbers for the game, raising questions about its long-term success.
While the Horizon games have continued to thrive with broader mainstream appeal and more arcade-style racing, Motorsport was known for its realism and simulation-based driving. Some racing fans preferred this more serious tone, comparing it to PlayStation’s Gran Turismo series. Unfortunately, that legacy may now be on hold indefinitely.
What’s Next for Turn 10 and Forza?
Turn 10’s remaining team members are now reportedly assisting Playground Games, the developers behind the Forza Horizon series.
Horizon has gained even more traction recently, especially after Forza Horizon 5 made its way to PS5. The next instalment, Forza Horizon 6, is expected to arrive in 2025 and will likely push the series into new territory.
The shift is part of a broader trend at Microsoft, which has seen studios like The Initiative shut down and multiple games cancelled. While some fans still hope to see a future return for Forza Motorsport, those hopes now seem slim.
