Microsoft is pumping up the revs this year with its Forza Motorsport reboot, aimed to zoom onto the Xbox Series S/X and the PC come October 10. But if you’re thinking you’ll have to hold your horsepower until then, you’re in for a treat.
There’s an incoming pit stop en route to the game’s official release where select content creators will get to slip into the virtual driver’s seat as early as September 11. This embargo date for early hands-on previews is a glaring sign that Turn 10 Studios is confident about what they’ve got under the hood.
For the skeptics among you who are chewing your nails over the Game Pass launch on October 10, recent footage from Gamescom 2023 should put you at ease. By all appearances, the game is shaping up to be the Michael Schumacher of racing sims. But wait, there’s more on the circuit. Colt Eastwood, a content creator and known Xbox enthusiast, tweeted that he’s already got his gloves on Forza Motorsport, more than a month before its official launch. It’s like getting to take the Ferrari for a spin before you’ve even made the down payment.
It is time. Huge shoutout to @Turn10Studios @ForzaMotorsport for giving me access to this preview of the new Forza Motorsport, I will be sharing all my thoughts as soon as I can on Monday, Sept. 11th!! pic.twitter.com/ZQvxGBn4PR
— HokiHoshi (@Hoki_Hoshi) August 31, 2023
Hmmm, choices right now…play some Starfield or the New Forza Motorsport? I'll have Preview impressions in two weeks on the 11th! pic.twitter.com/DeCqvUQ4eN
— colteastwood (@Colteastwood) August 31, 2023
Currently hitting the pavement, playing Forza Motorsport on Xbox Series X. 🏎️
Stay tuned to my early thoughts on the game as my preview will hit Creature Cast on Monday, September 11 at 12PM ET/9AM PT.
Have questions on the game? Leave them below! pic.twitter.com/xZNT1hF3IJ
— Steve Vegvari (@SVegvari) August 31, 2023
Now, you might argue that giving evangelists like Eastwood early access to games could boomerang. After all, we still remember how the once-hyped Redfall didn’t exactly set the world on fire despite the vocal backing of Xbox diehards. The criticism isn’t just about games; it often gets personal. The loyalty displayed by Xbox aficionados often borders on zealotry, so much so that it comes off as “cringey”, as the kids say these days.
The questionable maturity and integrity of certain content creators who make audacious claims about such games that are supposedly Game of the Year candidates hurt the Xbox exclusives by overhyping them.
While these criticisms are part of the story, they shouldn’t overshadow the bigger picture here. Xbox has spent the past couple of years shopping for studios, and these new acquisitions are about to start delivering.
With these upcoming releases, Xbox is looking to dominate the next couple of years, despite the setback with Redfall. As for Forza Motorsport, if the hype translates into an experience as fluid and immersive as the previews suggest, Xbox will have another jewel in its crown of exclusive – a rare back-to-back win for Xbox after Starfield comes out on September 6.
Nintendo may often clinch the fictional title for having the best exclusive lineup of the year, particularly after rolling out The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with Super Mario Bros. Wonder coming, but let’s not count Xbox out of the race just yet. They’ve got their foot on the pedal and are gunning for a standout year in gaming. Sure, there have been a few bumps in the road, but remember, even a Ferrari needs a tune-up now and then.
At the end of the day, the early hands-on sessions for Forza Motorsport signal more than just a pre-release marketing strategy. They signify Microsoft’s renewed confidence in delivering high-quality exclusive titles. It’s a bet that the games to come will not just be placeholders or rushed releases but will showcase what Xbox is truly capable of.
Critics and fans alike are leaning in to see whether the game can deliver a racing experience worth the months of built-up anticipation.
So, buckle up, because whether you’re an Xbox loyalist, a casual gamer, or a skeptical critic, Forza Motorsport’s review embargo could lift any day now.
By then, we’ll find out just how determined Xbox is to put the pedal to the metal and try to gap its competition.
