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Platform 360 Publisher Microsoft Game Studios Developer Playground Games Release Date 10/23/2012

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6.0

Forza Horizon review: into the sunset

By Philip Kollar on Oct 12, 2012 10.12.12

Forza Horizon speeds in a wildly different direction than last year's Forza Motorsport 4. Some of those changes seem less jarring when you look at Forza Horizon's pedigree. Main Forza studio Turn 10 provided back-up, but Horizon was primarily developed by Playground Games, a new team made up of ex-developers from a variety of U.K. racing studios, including Bizarre Creations. Horizon's focus on style and stunts is lifted directly from Bizarre's defunct Project Gotham Racing. That's good news if you've missed earning points for performing crazy feats out on the open road. It's also at odds with what made previous Forza games so special. WhereForza Motorsport 4 revered cars above all else, Horizon is all about car culture - specifically the techno-thumping, street racing culture of...

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Forza Horizon's Top Gear Car Pack launching April 2 with six new cars

By Dave Tach on Mar 31, 2013 03.31.13

Forza Horizon's April Top Gear Car Pack is headed to Xbox 360 Tuesday, April 2, bringing six new cars to the digital Colorado countryside, according to a press release from the game's developers. The cars, which were selected by a team from Top Gear Magazine and the developers at Turn 10 Studios, include: 2011 Ford Transit SuperSportVan, a customizable transit van that sports a 3.2-liter, 198-horsepower engine. 1998 Mercedes-Benz AMG Mercedes CLK GTR, a street car "in the loosest sense of the word," which won the GT1 class at Le Mans more than once. 2012 Aston Martin Vanquish, styled after classic Astons, it sports a 565-horsepower V12. 2012 Bowler EXR S, produced by Land Rover and U.K.-based rally raid manufacturer Bowler, it includes the Range Rover Sport's supercharged...

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Forza Horizon Pre-Order Car Pack available now for all players

By Alexa Ray Corriea on Mar 12, 2013 03.12.13

The newest round of downloadable content for Turn 10 Studios' racing title Forza Horizon grants access to five cars previously available only to those who pre-ordered the game, Microsoft Game Studios announced today. The Pre-Order Car Pack is now available for purchase through the Xbox Live Marketplace for 400 Microsoft Points. The pack must be bought separately, as it is not included in the Forza Horizon season pass. Players who purchased the Pre-Order Car Pack will unlock the following five cars: the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, known for its speed and retro-chic design the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia, designed for use on the open-road the 2012 Aston Martin Virage, sporting a luxurious leather interior wrap into a body built for speed the 2010 Nissan 370Z, one of the more...

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Forza Horizon trailer paves the way for March 5 Meguiar's Car Pack release

By Dave Tach on Feb 26, 2013 02.26.13

A trailer released today for Forza Horizon, Playground Games' open-world racing game, offers a look at seven new cars, six of which will be available March 5 in the Meguiar's Car Pack DLC. Check out the trailer above to see in-game footage of the six vehicles from Meguiar's Car Pack and a seventh bonus car as they race through, around and above the scenic Colorado countryside at sunset. Cars available this month include the 2013 Audi RS4 Avant, 2013 BMW M135i, 2012 Mercedes-Benz G65 AMG, 2003 Ferrari Challenge Stradale, 2004 Peugeot 206 RC, 1998 Nissan R390 (this month's free download) and the 2010 Joss JT1 (a bonus for Season Pass holders). Forza Horizon's Meguiar's Car Pack will be available next Tuesday for 400 Microsoft Points ($5) though Xbox Live and free to Season Pass...

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January Recaro Car Pack debuts in Forza Horizon Jan. 1

By Samit Sarkar on Dec 26, 2012 12.26.12

Forza Horizon's next set of downloadable cars, the January Recaro Car Pack, will start off 2013 with a unique variety of vehicles when it launches Jan. 1 for 400 Microsoft Points ($5), Microsoft and co-developer Turn 10 Studios announced yesterday. Three cars from the past year lead the pack: the 2012 Cadillac Escalade ESV, Lotus Exige S and Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition. The next newest Recaro car is the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLR, a 617-horsepower beast. Going further back in time, we have the 1995 Ford Mustang Cobra R, which required a valid racing license to own. And rounding out the DLC pack is a rarity in a high-speed racing game: a van, the 1983 GMC Vandura G-1500. Just don't bring it near a schoolyard. The Recaro Car Pack will be available free to owners of the Forza Horizon...

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Forza Horizon getting free three-pack of Honda Civics

By Samit Sarkar on Dec 17, 2012 12.17.12

Forza Horizon features plenty of dream cars out of the reach of ordinary people, but a car everyone can relate to is coming next month: The free Honda Challenge Car Pack will bring three different Honda Civics to the open-world racing game on Jan. 15. The DLC pack will include the 2013 Honda Civic Si Coupe (below) and its 201-horsepower engine, the HPD Rally Fit (above) from Honda Performance Development and the 1986 Honda Civic Si Coupe. Co-developers Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios will also add a new Rivals event to Forza Horizon on Jan. 15, along with two contests. The Rivals event, the "2013 Civic Si Challenge," will pit players against Honda Racing driver Scott Dixon. Those who can beat his time on a track of the Forza community's choosing will earn a chance at an...

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Forza Horizon DLC brings Bond and Halo cars to the roads of Colorado

By Alexa Ray Corriea on Nov 28, 2012 11.28.12

Forza Horizon's December car pack will hit the Xbox Live Marketplace on Dec. 4, bringing limited edition and exotic vehicles to the dusty Colorado roads, Microsoft announced. The December IGN Car Pack will include seven unique cars and cost 400 Microsoft Points ($5): The 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Halo Edition, featuring a Halo-themed skin designed by the Halo 4 developers at 343 Industries The 2008 Aston Martin DBS, based on the car driven by George Lazenby's James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service The 2012 Ferrari F12berlinetta, the fastest car Ferrari has to offer The 2006 Ford GTX1, "functional," "versatile" and boasting 700 horsepower The 2006 Hummer H1 Alpha Open Top, "the most dominant and capable off-road vehicle ever created" The 1993 McLaren F1,...

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Forza Horizon's Bondurant Car Pack bringing Lamborghini, BMW, others Nov. 6

By Dave Tach on Nov 02, 2012 11.02.12

Forza Horizon's Bondurant Car Pack will bring six new cars to the open-world racing game on Nov. 6, 2012, according to a press release. The Bondurant Car Pack will add: The 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante, the "lightest open-top Lamborghini ever" The custom-built 2012 Shelby 1000 Mustang The 2010 BMW M3 GTS, a "street-legal track car" The 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C, "the fastest streetcar in the world" The drift-heavy 1994 Nissan 240SX SE The 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, for a more off-road experience Forza Horizon's Bondurant Car Pack will be available next Tuesday for 400 Microsoft points, and free to those with a season pass.

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Forza Horizon developers on framerates, codebase and physics simulation

By Tracey Lien on Oct 29, 2012 10.29.12

Playground Games, the developer of Forza Horizon, has undertaken a hefty technical task inheriting Turn 10's Forza codebase, the developers said in an interview with Eurogamer. Speaking in an in-depth interview with Eurogamer's Digital Foundry, Playground Games' technical director Alan Roberts, lead gameplay engineer Karl Hammarling and lead rendering engineer Andy Sage talked Eurogamer through the process of developing Forza Horizon, from the initial pitch in 2010 to working with Turn 10 as the studio made its first Forza game. The three developers dove into the nitty gritty of the game's code, explaining what it was like working with Turn 10's game engine. "We built the game around the Turn 10 engine, as we were really keen to retain the Forza DNA, such as the car physics engine,"...

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Forza Horizon to get first expansion pack on December 18th

By Alexa Ray Corriea on Oct 17, 2012 10.17.12

Forza Horizon will get off-road racing tracks as well as cars built for the challenge on December 18th with the "Rally" expansion pack, developer Turn 10 Studios announced today. The pack will cost 1600 Microsoft Points ($20) and adds a series of off-road tracks set in Colorado with new surface types, as well as cars built specifically for off-roading. Turn 10 will begin releasing Monthly Car Packs beginning October 23rd. These packs will cost 400 Microsoft Points ($5) and include six additional cars for use in online multiplayer events. The developer is also offering a Forza Horizon Season Pass for 4000 Microsoft Points ($50), which grants access to the "Rally" pack and first six monthly packs through April 2013. Season Pass owners will also receive five Pass-exclusive bonus cars. P...

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Forza Horizon developers discuss fusion of 'action racing' and Forza Motorsport physics

By Samit Sarkar on Oct 09, 2012 10.09.12

In Forza Horizon's latest behind-the-scenes video, its developers at Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios talk about how they brought the realistic car physics of the Forza Motorsport franchise into an open-world game. Forza games always focus on the cars themselves, and the developers of Forza Horizon went to the usual lengths to incorporate real-world data into the game in order to make each car drive like its real-life counterpart. The allure of Forza Horizon is that players will be able to enjoy that authenticity in an open-world setting that rewards thrilling driving maneuvers such as burnouts, drifts and jumps. Forza Horizon launches exclusively on Xbox 360 on Oct. 23. A demo is now available on Xbox Live; playing the demo and buying the full game by Oct. 31 will unlock an...

Forza Horizon Releases
North America
  • Xbox 360
    • Released 10/23/2012
    • Publisher Microsoft Game Studios
    • Developer Playground Games
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