Highlights
- Forza Motorsport's arrival on Xbox Game Pass provides simulation racing fans with a welcome alternative to arcade-style racing games.
- The accessibility features in Forza Motorsport make it easy for Forza Horizon fans to transition to sim racing without feeling overwhelmed.
- The success of Forza Horizon 5 has benefited Forza Motorsport by increasing awareness and attracting players to the franchise, and its inclusion in Game Pass allows players to try it without buying a retail copy.
For fans of simulation racing, the release of Forza Motorsport on Xbox Game Pass in early October was likely seen as a welcome addition to Microsoft’s massive library. While there are plenty of arcade-style racing games on Game Pass, the Turn 10 Studios title represents one of the few sim racing games on the service. Its arrival on the platform gives those looking for a bit more challenge as they speed around the track an alternative to the arcade racing of Forza Horizon 5 and shows why there’s plenty of room for two AAA Forza titles on Game Pass.
While the release of the original Forza Motorsport in 2005 kicked off the Forza franchise, Microsoft’s alternative to Sony’s Gran Turismo series eventually found itself taking the backseat to the arcade-style Forza Horizon games in many players’ minds. With a far more casual feel and races that took place in lush, open-world locales, the spin-off series established a laid-back formula that was polished to perfection with Forza Horizon 5. By making its simulation gameplay more accessible than ever and applying lessons from the success of its arcade-focused counterpart to the realm of real-world racing, Forza Motorsport shows why both series are worthy of a place on the Game Pass roster.
Forza Motorsport Makes It Easy for Horizon Fans to Make the Leap to Sim Racing
Rather than excluding players more familiar with Forza Horizon 5’s freeform format, the numerous accessibility features in Forza Motorsport make the game welcoming to even casual racers. This lets players looking for more realism after years of cruising around Forza Horizon 5’s digital doppelganger of Mexico hop into the game without feeling overwhelmed by systems targeted squarely at sim racing fans. While Forza Motorsport’s simulation focus stays front and center no matter which options players choose, it’s still possible to make its cars handle similarly to their arcade counterparts.
By enabling options like traction and stability control, fans of Forza Horizon 5 can ease themselves into the strictly regimented world of simulation racing found in Forza Motorsport. This can make the move from the fairly forgiving driving mechanics in the spin-off series to the over 500 cars in Forza Motorsport, each designed to handle like the real-world machine that inspired it, more manageable. Seasoned gearheads can also choose to forego these assistance options, of course, and dive into a sim racing experience that’s benefited heavily from the success of its arcade-focused counterpart.
Turn 10 Studios’ Forza Motorsport is a Beneficiary of Forza Horizon 5’s Success
While the track-focused format of Forza Motorsport may seem worlds away from the wide-ranging mix of events found in Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 5, it benefits heavily from the success of the arcade-focused title. This is most evident when looking at the stunning visuals found in the former title. The same ForzaTech engine that brought the mountains and beaches of Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico to life has been refined for Turn 10 Studios’ recent release, allowing for tracks that look virtually identical to their real-world counterparts.
The success of Forza Horizon 5 also helped bring increased awareness to the launch of Forza Motorsport. Following the massive success of the former game on Xbox Game Pass, players who’d previously stuck to arcade-style racers were likely more willing to give the latter a spin given the renewed popularity of the franchise in the wake of Forza Horizon 5. Even if players ultimately decide that the closed-track racing in Forza Motorsport isn’t for them, its inclusion in the Game Pass library means they can give it a shot without paying the high price of a retail copy of the game.
Simultaneously offering the in-depth mechanics demanded by sim racing purists and the accessibility options necessary to draw in newcomers to the format, Forza Motorsport is a perfect pairing with the arcade adventures of Forza Motorsport 5. And with each game offering its own uniquely appealing and polished spin on the racing genre, it’s clear that there’s more than enough room for two AAA Forza titles on Game Pass.
Forza Motorsport is available for PC and Xbox Series X/S.