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Why did Microsoft stop updating Forza Motorsport for the new Horizon game?
The Official Status: Maintenance Mode
Forza Motorsport has effectively ceased active development. Turn 10 Studios confirmed this transition during their year-end review on December 16, 2025. The studio will no longer release new cars, tracks, or gameplay features. Furthermore, the team has halted regular bug fixes. This announcement contradicts earlier assurances from Xbox leadership regarding long-term support. While the servers remain active for multiplayer engagement, the software has entered a permanent “maintenance mode.”
The Strategic Pivot to Forza Horizon 6
The primary driver for this cancellation is a resource shift toward Forza Horizon 6. Turn 10 Studios explicitly stated their focus must move to delivering the 2026 title. This decision leaves the 2023 Forza Motorsport reboot with a significantly shorter lifecycle than its predecessors. The studio plans to recycle previously released content, such as Featured Tours and reward cars, to maintain player engagement without incurring new development costs.
Corporate Restructuring and Financial Pressure
This abrupt end to development correlates with broader instability within Microsoft’s gaming division. The tech giant executed massive layoffs affecting 1,900 employees in early 2024 and another 9,000 across various sectors in July 2025. These reductions heavily impacted development teams.
Financial mandates from Microsoft leadership likely accelerated this decision. CFO Amy Hood recently enforced a strict 30% profit margin requirement for the gaming division. Forza Motorsport, despite being a flagship simulation title released in October 2023, likely failed to meet these aggressive revenue targets compared to the more casual, open-world Horizon series.
Timeline of Events
- October 2023: Forza Motorsport releases on Xbox Series X/S and Windows as a “platform for the future.”
- Early 2024: Major layoffs hit Activision Blizzard and Xbox teams.
- July 2025: Second wave of layoffs affects the gaming division; Phil Spencer claims development continues.
- December 16, 2025: Turn 10 Studios confirms the end of new content to prioritize Forza Horizon 6.
Advisory Takeaway
For players and stakeholders, the implications are clear: the product you have today is the final version. Do not expect performance improvements or content expansions. The “Game as a Service” promise for this title has been terminated to facilitate the financial viability of the next major release.