After last week’s Xbox Games Showcase trailer, June’s Forza Monthly focused on Forza Motorsport with a deep dive into the game’s career mode.
As well as showing an extended gameplay demo of the Builders Cup career mode, creative director Chris Esaki sat down for a Q&A session discussing different topics.
One topic that came up was online connectivity. In response, Esaki revealed that Forza Motorsport’s career mode will require an online connection to progress. It's GT7 all over again.
Forza Motorsport’s career mode requires an online connection
“The game has been designed to easily adjust and add new content over time. That’s really to ensure a fair and secure experience anywhere in the game,” Esaki said when asked about Forza Motorsport's online connectivity.
“Any progression in the game will be stored on our servers to support the integrity of the overall game experience,” he explained.
Esaki went on to say there will be “options for playing offline” such as the Free Play mode where you can race with any track or car combination single events. But career mode progression will require an online connection.
This revelation hasn’t gone down well with fans. “I don’t understand how so many people are okay with these practices. This is as anti-consumer as it gets,” Twitter user IVorzaYT wrote.
It’s a shame, because the career mode otherwise looks like a huge step forward, with meaningful progression where cars and upgrades feel earned.
Gran Turismo 7 also requires an online connection to progress in the campaign. The problem with this was demonstrated when the servers went down soon after launch, making the game practically unplayable for all players for over 24 hours.
Forza doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to server stability, so players may encounter similar problems with Forza Motorsport if the servers aren't improved.
It also means the campaign will be unplayable when Forza Motorsport eventually gets delisted in a few years when licenses expire.
Monetisation was also brought up in the Q&A. While Forza Motorsport will have an optional Premium Edition with add-ons such as car packs and a Car Pass, Esaki emphasised there will be no loot boxes or microtransactions for car upgrade points and credits.
In addition to premium content, new cars and tracks will also be added for free after launch like in Forza Horizon 5.
Release date
Fans will be able to try Forza Motorsport’s career mode when the game launches on 10 October on Xbox Series X|S and PC. Players who preorder the Premium Edition will get five days of early access starting on 5 October.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
Forza