Forza Motorsport Series Canceled Amid Microsoft Studio Shakeups

The Forza Motorsport franchise may have reached the end of the road, according to claims from a former Turn 10 Studios developer.

Fred Russell, who worked at Turn 10 before departing the company in 2016, posted a statement suggesting that Microsoft has officially shut down the Forza Motorsport division. The comment was first surfaced by Reddit user Fidler_2K.

“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. I loved my time there,” Russell wrote.
“The studio is open to support the Horizon side… shuttered the Forza Motorsport side only.”

While Microsoft has not issued an official statement, Russell’s comments add to growing speculation surrounding the future of internal projects at Xbox Game Studios. Ongoing layoffs and cancellations have reportedly hit multiple studios under Microsoft's gaming division — with Turn 10 allegedly among the hardest hit, having lost up to 50% of its staff, according to insider reports.

Originally launched in 2005, Forza Motorsport served as the flagship simulation racer for Xbox, focusing on realistic driving physics and competitive track racing. However, in recent years, its open-world spin-off series, Forza Horizon — developed by Playground Games — has surpassed it in popularity, boasting higher player engagement and broader mainstream appeal.

The most recent entry in the Forza Motorsport series was released in 2023, while Forza Horizon 5 launched in 2021 and remains widely supported.

While Forza Horizon blends arcade-style fun with sim-racing fundamentals, Motorsport was the core experience for racing purists. The potential cancellation of the latter marks a significant shift in Microsoft’s racing game strategy — and a nostalgic blow for longtime fans of the original series.

As of now, Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios have not confirmed or denied the status of the Forza Motorsport franchise.