Delisted Open-World Racing Game Restores Online Features

Despite being delisted in 2020, Forza Horizon 3's online services remain active, much to the delight of its players. A recent community manager intervention confirmed server restarts following player reports of unavailable features, showcasing Playground Games' ongoing commitment to maintaining online functionality. This stands in contrast to the permanent shutdown of online services for Forza Horizon and Forza Horizon 2 after their delistings.

The Forza franchise, launched in 2005 with Forza Motorsport, has seen significant growth, culminating in the highly successful Forza Horizon 5. Released in 2021, Forza Horizon 5 recently surpassed 40 million players, solidifying its place as one of Xbox's top-performing titles. This success comes despite some controversy surrounding its exclusion from the Best Ongoing Game category at The Game Awards 2024. Forza Horizon 5 has consistently received post-launch content and notable updates, including the popular Hide and Seek mode.

A Reddit post by JoaoPaulo3k highlighted player concerns regarding the potential end of Forza Horizon 3's online services. A user's inability to access certain features sparked worry within the community. However, Playground Games' senior community manager swiftly responded, reassuring players that the servers had been rebooted, earning praise from the community. It's important to note that Forza Horizon 3 reached its "End of Life" status in 2020, meaning it was removed from the Microsoft Store.

The delisting of Forza Horizon 4 in December 2024, despite its impressive 24 million player count since its 2018 launch, served as a stark reminder of the transient nature of online services. Playground Games' proactive response to Forza Horizon 3's issues, and the positive player response following the server reboot, is encouraging.

Forza Horizon 5's continued success, with its massive player base, further underscores the enduring appeal of the Forza Horizon series. Anticipation is already building for Forza Horizon 6, with many players hoping for a Japanese setting. While Playground Games is currently focused on Fable, the possibility of a Japan-based Forza Horizon 6 remains a compelling prospect.