Forza Motorsport 8 could be the last game in the long-running series

During Sunday’s Xbox Showcase, Turn 10 Studios released a trailer for the next version of Forza Motorsport, which it debuted in January. The series is almost 20 years old, and the studio has released a new version every two years until 2017’s Forza Motorsport 7. So fans should be happy that the six-year wait for Forza Motorsport 8 (Forza Motorsport 2023) is almost over.

Forza Motorsport can switch to service model

Unfortunately, during a post-show interview, Forza General Manager Dan Greenawalt revealed that this could be the last game in the Forza Motorsport series, which should not be confused with the Forza Horizon series. “Basically, we’re not planning a different sequel,” Greenawalt said. In fact, Forza Motorsport 8 is not even the name of the upcoming game. Turn decided to skip the number 10 and use the original name.

While Greenawalt doesn’t go into detail as to why this might be the last game in the sim series, the move to a service model could likely be the reason. Forza (2023) will focus on online multiplayer and seasonal content distribution, a format that has become popular in other titles such as Fortnite, Dota 2 and the last two Diablo games.

The service model allows Turn 10 to continuously produce new features, tracks, vehicles and events without releasing a new game every two years. This layout kept Fortnite going for six years, with seasons spacing between 10 and 12 weeks. Blizzard has also promised to release quarterly content for Diablo 4, and the first two are already in development.

However, for Forza Motorsport 2023, the steps that Turn 10 will take will be important. For simulation lovers, Forza Motorsport will live on if Turn 10 sticks to a monetization scheme that only charges for cosmetic items. However, if a pay-to-win approach is adopted, it can be pushed into a series of unknowns. Meanwhile, Forza Motorsport (2023) will launch on October 10 for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Game Pass.