Microsoft has announced Forza Motorsport, the All-New return of the track-based racing game built for the ground up for the new generation. Here’s everything we know so far.
While the Bethesda games like Redfall and Starfield got most of the hype at the Xbox Bethesda Showcase on Monday, Microsoft also had a homegrown trick up its sleeve for the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X.
Set to arrive next spring, it’s the first new game in the Forza Motorsport series since the 7th instalment in 2017. Microsoft says all of its tracks have been built or rebuild from scratch, while advanced car damage and real-time ray tracing raise the bar further.
Microsoft calls it “a generational leap in immersion” and “the most technically advanced racing game ever made”. We’re already looking forward to this element of what’s shaping up to be an all-timer for Xbox gamers in 2023.
Forza Motorsport trailer
Microsoft unveiled the fist trailer for Forza Motorsport on Monday with all footage captured in-game on the Xbox Series X. You can see it below. It’s a real thing of beauty.
Forza Motorsport release date and availability
Microsoft is only committing to a Spring 2023 release window, which suggests it should be here by this time next year. It’ll be an Xbox Game Pass title that will be available for Xbox Series S/X, PC and in the cloud on day one for subscribers.
Forza Motorsport tracks and cars
Microsoft says there’ll be plenty of fan favourite tracks and new locations making their debuts. The Maple Valley track (below), which has been in the game since the 2005 original, is returning, along with the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and the Laguna Seca Raceway.
In a blog post, Microsoft added: “We also revealed Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, a South African track making its Forza Motorsport debut, and the all-new Circuit Hakone set in Japan, an original, high-speed Grand Prix circuit built to showcase the technically advanced, state of the art immersion of the new Forza Motorsport.”
A separate post from the Forza blog also showcases some of the cars depicted within the trailer, and we’d welcome any of them in our garage any day of the week. They date from 1956 to 2021. Here’s the list:.
- 2018 Acura #36 Gradient Racing NSX GT3
- 2020 Acura #6 ARX-05 DPi
- 1958 Aston Martin DBR1
- 2017 Aston Martin Aston Martin Racing V12 Vantage GT3 #7
- 2018 Audi #44 R8 LMS GT3
- 2021 Audi RS e-tron GT
- 2017 BMW #24 BMW Team RLL M6 GTLM
- 2018 BMW #1 BMW M Motorsport M8 GTE
- 2019 Brabham BT62
- 2021 Cadillac #31 Whelen Racing DPi-V.R
- 1966 Chaparral #66 Chaparral Cars 2E
- 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Super Sport Coupe
- 2020 Chevrolet #3 Corvette Racing C8.R
- 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupé
- 1969 Dodge Charger R/T
- 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
- 1967 Eagle-Weslake T1G
- 1967 Ferrari #24 Ferrari Spa 330 P4
- 1966 Ford #2 GT40 Mk II Le Mans
- 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302
- 2018 Formula Drift #64 Nissan 370Z
- 2020 Formula Drift #151 Toyota GR Supra
- 2019 Ginetta #6 Team LNT Ginetta G60-LT-P1
- 1967 Honda RA300
- 2020 Koenigsegg Jesko
- 2018 Lamborghini #63 Squadra Corse Huracán Super Trofeo Evo
- 2020 Lamborghini Huracan EVO
- 1991 Mazda #55 Mazda 787B
- 1966 McLaren M2B
- 2019 McLaren Senna GTR
- 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT3
- 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator
- 2016 NIO EP9
- 2019 Nissan 370Z Nismo
- 2020 Nissan GT-R NISMO (R35)
- 2017 Porsche #911 Porsche GT Team 911 RSR
- 2021 Porsche 911 GT3
Forza Motorsport features
Microsoft says the Forza Motorsport release will benefit from real-time ray tracing visuals for the first time. Microsoft says this will bring out the detail in car materials like anodised aluminium, carbon fibre and gold heat wrap. “Ray tracing especially shines on engine bays with their complex self-reflection,” Microsoft says.
Microsoft is also debuting a “fully dynamic time of day system”, which will not only make a difference to how the game looks, it’ll also change how you play. While there’ll be obvious differences in the track surface when there’s rain around, the time of day will also mean changes to the track temperature, which will in turn affect the grip and the wearing of your tires. On that front, Microsoft is introducing features like tire and fuel management.
Forza Motorsport car damage
Such is the detail here, Microsoft says that car damage will be reproduced all the way down to individual scratches.
“There are all-new simulation details in the directionality of damage, how the paint peels away at exposed and raised edges, in the wheel abrasions, and in the dirt build-up,” the blog post announcing the new game explains.
Microsoft says there’ll be more news to come on Forza Motorosport soon. We’re hopeful it’ll live up to its Forza Horizon 5 counterpart, which remains one of the best games available in the current generation.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
