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Since Forza Motorsport 4 came on the scene in 2011, Microsoft has released a Forza game every year like clockwork, alternating between the mainline Motorsport titles and its Horizon spinoffs. For 2019, however, the series might be taking a break.
According to the folks over at GTPlanet, Forza Motorsport 8 is unlikely to be dropping in 2019 like history would dictate, pointing to a couple of comments made by Turn 10 creative director Chris Esaki. During last week’s “Forza Monthly” livestream, Esaki spoke about how the Motorsport developers have “been given this great gift of time, which we as a team have never really had with Motorsport to really kind of evaluate where we are, what we are as a product, as a game.”
Reading between the lines? Turn 10 does not have a game due out in 12 months.
This echoes statements Esaki made back in July when he said his entire team was dedicated to developing enhancements for and supporting 2017’s Forza Motorsport 7 instead of churning out a direct sequel. From GTPlanet, “I just want to reiterate this message. I know other people have said this before. But the entire team, 100 percent, the entire Forza Motorsport team right now, is working on Forza Motorsport 7,” Esaki said in a livestream. “What that means is we’re not going off making Forza Motorsport 8.”
This would mean the first time Turn 10 has gone more than two years without releasing a game since debuting the first FM on the original Xbox way back in 2005. It’s unlikely we’ll see a Forza Horizon 5 in 2019 either given the fantastic Horizon 4 just came out last week. Perhaps Microsoft has a third studio in its back pocket quietly working on a completely new Forza-branded racer? Only time will tell.
In any case, GTPlanet points out that Microsoft is already confirmed to be working on the Xbox One’s successor, a console currently known as “Scarlett,” and that an eighth Motorsport installment with increased gestation time would make for an essential launch title.
Forza Horizon 4 is available for Xbox One now.
