If Microsoft doesn’t promise too much, Forza Motorsport could overtake Gran Turismo

When Forza team boss Dan Greenawalt and creative director Chris Esaki presented the eighth edition of the racing sim at their employer’s showcase, it was above all a big promise – a promise, however, which, on closer inspection, they can’t yet nail down. Clever! Because although they have announced a few significant innovations, you don’t know how they actually affect the game and its content.

An example: You will not only be able to put on different tire compounds, but you will finally have to pay attention to fuel consumption and rubber abrasion. Class! After all, this is essential for a simulation of this caliber. But does this mean more than just a few rounds of events or at least full race weekends including qualifying in the Forza career?

And what exactly does Microsoft mean when it says: “Vehicle damage is the order of the day in racing.” That’s true, of course. And how nice it is that the paint is physically scraped off in the new Forza! But is that just a side swipe at Gran Turismo, whose cars are famous for their optical indestructibility? Or does Forza also deal with credible deformations and a realistic impairment of driving behavior?

Yes, and then ray tracing was touted in addition to generally overwhelming graphic opulence. Only: why? Shouldn’t that be a matter of course with such a well-known release in 2023? I therefore suspect a dig at the big competitor at this point; that Forza Motorsport will run at at least 60 frames per second in all situations, even with ray tracing enabled.

But even that is just one of those promises that are in the air and not clearly expressed. And maybe that’s why I’ll be mighty disappointed in a few months.

However, because I’m an optimist and hope is the last to die anyway, I believe that Microsoft really has a hot potato in the fire with this Forza and that some of the content suggested in the showcase is not just guesswork. After all, what else is the literally touted “generational leap” for? Why the more than twice as long development time as before any previous successor? In fact, I think Microsoft didn’t want to take an ordinary evolutionary step this time, but wanted to go full throttle into the current generation – to set itself apart from a Gran Turismo 7 that also runs on PlayStation 4.

In contrast to the graphics and physics, one aspect that is very important to me has not even been touched on. Because what about the online component? Sure: Drivatare are definitely at the start. The all-important point for me, however, will be whether Microsoft finally gets multiplayer racing that enables real virtual racing. In any case, I won’t put up with the chaotic arcade jostling of the predecessors.

In order to catch up with Gran Turismo or Assetto Corsa Competizione, Forza Motorsport needs a functioning penalty system and the classification of all drivers according to speed and, above all, fairness – as known from iRacing and Gran Turismo Sport. In order to keep the players engaged, a race calendar managed by Microsoft would also do him good, in which championship races are held in addition to varied individual races.

The thing is, the timing couldn’t be better! Because of all places, where GT Sport was so strong compared to Forza 7, the seventh Gran Turismo is now weakening: the (not given or wrongly given) penalties give cunning scoundrels unfair advantages and anyone who wants to rubberize the asphalt with friends is still not even allowed to do basic lobbying -Manage settings properly.

In my opinion, that and the expected generational leap are the big slipstream that Microsoft only needs to pull out of next spring to secure pole position. And if they succeed, then I’ll be happy to swap my currently dormant Sony cockpit for the bucket seat at Microsoft!