Turn 10 Studios isn’t really closed?
Since Microsoft’s major restructuring in July 2025, which led to numerous layoffs, including around half of the workforce at Turn 10 Studios, fans of the automotive simulation series feared the worst. A former employee, Fred Russell, even claimed on Facebook that the Forza Motorsport team had been “disbanded”, and that the studio was now operating as support for Forza Horizon.
In this interview with Famitsu (via VGC), Phil Spencer tempers these statements:
We know there have been strong reactions to the downsizing at Turn 10. This is not a disappearance of the series, but a reorganization of priorities. We have many games to support, and sometimes that means giving certain teams more time so as not to burn them out
The boss of Microsoft’s Gaming sector explains that the current organization of Xbox Game Studios, which brings together more than 20 studios, makes it possible to adapt resources and priorities according to the progress of projects.
Some projects require immediate attention, others require a medium or long term approach. Our goal is always to publish quality games. That’s why we’re currently focusing our efforts on titles closer to the finish line.
This strategic choice is not unique to Forza. Spencer points out that the Halo studio (formerly 343 Industries) is also in a transition phase, with a move to Unreal Engine 5 and the development of new projects. But here too, “the series is not over,” he reassures. Although it is now difficult to take Phil Spencer’s word for long-term statements, it is undeniable that the Forza franchise is now driven primarily by Horizon, its more accessible and open-world-oriented spin-off, developed by Playground Games.
Forza Horizon 6 was also the big closing announcement of the Xbox conference at the Tokyo Game Show, especially since the title will take place in Japan. The release is currently set for next year on PC and Xbox Series, in particular via Xbox Game Pass, but also on PS5.