Forza Motorsport Could Be in Trouble Following Microsoft Layoffs
Forza Motorsport
video game franchise. It's unclear how many people the studio laid off, but reports indicate that nearly half the staff has been let go.
The Verge
is reporting that around 70 people were fired, and it's unclear how this will affect future installments of the
Forza Motorsport
franchise. The studio launched the franchise's latest installment in 2023, simply named
Forza Motorsport
, for the Xbox Series X/S and PC. It garnered
tepid reviews
, with some disliking parts of the game's newer elements, like the RPG-style progression system, which the studio attempted to address.
Photo by: Turn 10 Studios
However, gamers have generally enjoyed the Motorsport franchise. Early examples of the game earned Metacritic scores in the low 90s; however, the scores began to falter with the release of
Forza Motorsport 5
.
Forza Motorsport
(2023) was the eighth installment in the series. The franchise launched in 2005 as Xbox's response to PlayStation's
Gran Turismo
. Microsoft would expand the
Forza
franchise with the launch of
Forza Horizon
, an arcade-style open-world alternative that emphasized the motoring lifestyle more than perfect lap times at iconic tracks.
The layoffs at Turn 10 were part of a larger culling throughout Microsoft's various divisions. There are no reports that the tech giant laid off anyone at the studio behind the
Horizon
franchise, England's Playground Games, which is also available on the PlayStation.
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Photo by: Turn 10 Studios
Sources:
The Verge
,
Insider Gaming
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