Microsoft May Have Ended Forza Motorsport, Laying Off Most of Turn 10 Studio

Microsoft’s latest round of layoffs this week impacted Turn 10 Studio, potentially signaling the end of the Forza Motorsport series. Jason Schreier from Bloomberg reported that 50 employees at Turn 10 were laid off on Tuesday. Fred Russell, a former studio coordinator, confirmed that the team behind Forza Motorsport has been shut down completely; it simply no longer exists. This comes as disheartening news for fans of one of the most acclaimed racing game series. Xbox content creator Klobrille speculates that Turn 10 might now solely function as a support team for Forza Horizon and ForzaTech moving forward. This aligns with what Russell said, as it sounds like only a small team remains to support Forza Horizon. Scott Catlin, a senior design director at Microsoft who had been involved with Forza Motorsport since its inception, was also among those laid off from both Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios.

However, it wasn’t just Forza Motorsport that was affected. These Microsoft layoffs also meant Rare’s Everwild game was cancelled, and its entire development team was disbanded. The Perfect Dark game was also cancelled, and The Initiative studio ceased operations completely. Zenimax Online Studios also experienced layoffs, and their new online game (codenamed Blackbird) was terminated. Additionally, there were job cuts at King, the company behind Candy Crush, and Raven Software, which contributes to the development of Call of Duty. On a more positive note, it appears that another Forza game is planned for 2026. It is widely believed that this will be the next Forza Horizon game from Playground Games. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.

While the news of layoffs and cancellations can be disheartening for gamers, there’s some exciting new developments in other parts of the industry. Capcom recently announced a fresh addition to their iconic Resident Evil series—a strategy game titled “Resident Evil: Survival Unit,” set to launch on mobile devices. Developed in collaboration with Joycity and Aniplex, this project features the involvement of Shinji Hashimoto, known for his work on Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts. For more details about this innovative new title, be sure to check out our latest post Capcom Announces New Resident Evil Strategy Game, published by Jonathan Dubinski on July 4th, 2025. For those seeking more insights into the fate of Forza Motorsport, former Turn 10 employee Fred Russell’s announcement on his Facebook page sheds light on the series’ discontinuation. Sophie Laurent’s detailed analysis (“Forza Motorsport is Dead, Says Former Turn 10 Employee”) published on July 4, 2025, delves into the implications of Microsoft’s layoffs and their effect on the Forza community. Readers interested in understanding the full extent of this development should definitely check out Forza Motorsport is Dead, Says Former Turn 10 Employee for a comprehensive look at how this news impacts both the studio and gaming enthusiasts alike. While the news surrounding Microsoft’s recent layoffs has been largely focused on Turn 10 Studio and Forza Motorsport, it’s important not to overlook the significant impact these changes have had on other studios as well. Jonathan Dubinski delves into one such impactful story in his piece titled “Phil Spencer Raved About ZeniMax’s Cancelled MMO Project Blackbird,” published on July 4, 2025. The article sheds light on the abrupt cancellation of Project Blackbird at ZeniMax Online Studios and its aftermath, highlighting the sudden loss not only for the development team but also for gaming enthusiasts who were eagerly anticipating this innovative title. For a deeper look into this surprising turn of events, check out Jonathan’s insightful piece Phil Spencer Raved About ZeniMax’s Cancelled MMO Project Blackbird.