Forza Horizon 5 is incredibly popular, featuring a diverse open-world set in Mexico, hundreds of cars, and accessible arcade-style driving. But Forza started as a realistic racing game as Microsoft’s answer to Gran Turismo on the Xbox. The Forza Motorsport Xbox Series X release will take the series to the next level.
The first Forza Motorsport game launched back in 2005 on the original Xbox. It spawned six sequels, with the last game in the series, Forza Motorsport 7, launching in 2017 on Xbox One. That means it's been six years since the last Forza Motorsport game.
Announced in 2020, Forza Motorsport is making a comeback with a long-delayed series reboot. Launching this October, Forza Motorsport will take full advantage of the powerful Xbox Series X hardware. But what can we expect from Forza Motorsport on Xbox Series X? We've got everything you need to know about the Forza Motorsport Xbox.
Latest news - Forza Motorsport career mode revealed
After last week's Xbox Games Showcase trailer, Forza Motorsport was given the spotlight in June's Forza Monthly stream. This saw Creative Director Chris provide a gameplay demo of Forza Motorsport's career mode.
A lot of new details about the career mode were revealed in the stream. Dubbed the Builders Cup, Forza Motorsport's career mode focuses on three pillars: level, build, and dominate. Each event is tailored to different car classes with three elements: Open practice, Challenge the Grid, and Feature Race.
With a levelling-up system for car upgrades, Forza Motorsport could bring back a sense of progression and achievement that's been missing in other racing game career modes - we're looking at you, GT7. Career mode is fully customisable for different skill levels too, with options to enable or disable penalties, damage and tyre wear.
These changes were well received, but there's one aspect that is frustrating fans. Like GT7, Forza Motorsport's career mode will require an online connection to progress.
Forza Motorsport Xbox Series X
Forza Motorsport was announced in July 2020 at E3 as a “reimagining of the series.” Turn 10 Studios is “taking what has made Motorsport great over the last 15 years and pairing that with new game concepts.”
Thanks to the horsepower of Xbox Series X, Forza Motorsport will run at a locked 4K and 60fps. It will even have in-race ray tracing, giving players an experience they can't get anywhere else on console.
In a hands-on preview at IGN, Turn 10 confirmed Forza Motorsport will not support 120 fps on Xbox Series X. This is to create a level playing field in competitive multiplayer so all console players have the same experience.
Because of its lower hardware specifications, the Xbox S version will run at a lower 1080p resolution but still retain 60 fps.
Unlike Gran Turismo 7 on PlayStation 5, Forza Motorsport will have a fully dynamic world at every track. This includes weather, time, and track surface with wet lines, rubbering-in, and track temperature all impacting your racing.
In contrast to Forza Horizon 5’s arcade-style handling, Forza Motorsport will also boast a brand new tyre model with eight points of contact, bringing new levels of driving realism.
Release date
After several delays, Forza Motorsport finally has a firm Xbox release date. Turn 10 confirmed Forza Motorsport will launch on 10 October 2023 on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
With The Crew Motorfest releasing in September and Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown expected to arrive later this year, this will be a crowded period for racing game releases.
Players who pre-order the Premium Edition can get five days of early access starting on 5 October 2023. You can find out more details about the Forza Motorsport editions below.
Game Pass
Microsoft has confirmed Forza Motorsport will release on Xbox Game Pass from day one.
That means as soon as Forza Motorsport launches, Game Pass subscribers will be able to play without any additional cost.
Editions and early access
There will be three Forza Motorsport editions: Standard, Deluxe and Premium.
The Standard Edition just includes the Base Game, while the Deluxe Edition includes the obligatory Car Pass.
Upgrading to the Premium Edition lets you play five days early from 5 October. The Premium Edition also includes the Race Day Car Pack DLC, Car Pass, VIP Membership and Welcome Pack.
You can also upgrade to the Premium Add-Ons Bundle to get early access and all other add-on content included in the Premium Edition.
Car list
Forza Motorsport will have 500 cars at launch, from thoroughbred race cars to modern electric cars. Turn 10 has revealed the stunning 2023 No. 01 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R and 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray are the cover cars.
You can view the full Forza Motorsport car list here.
What about Xbox One?
As for other platforms, Forza Motorsport has also been announced for PC.
It will technically be playable on Xbox One through the Xbox Cloud Gaming included in Game Pass Ultimate. However, there won't be a native Xbox One release due to the incredible detail and scale of the game.
Leaked screenshots early in FMs development seemed to suggest an Xbox One version was coming, but given the technical prowess of the game, it seems like the decision was made to keep it a next-gen and PC title only.