Virtual racing might be in for a significant shift in the coming months as persistent rumors about Microsoft bringing their Forza Motorsport franchise to the PC are circulating around the net.
Until now, the two big console-exclusive racing heavyweights Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport were tightly bound to their respective platform, being considered “system sellers” that could lead people to buy a certain console just to play their favorite game. To protect this exclusivity, PC versions of these titles remained nothing but a pipe dream for the PC racers for many years.
Microsoft seems to be ending this un-written law now as the company is starting to roll-out simultaneous releases for Xbox One titles that will also see a PC version of the title to be made available the same day. Starting this practice will be Quantum Break that will see a simultaneous release on both Xbox One and the PC.
While Microsoft’s Phil Spencer already confirmed this practice will be extended to other titles without naming any specific games, Chinese website WPDang now claims that the Forza Motorsport franchise is among the next games to be included in the practice, including both Forza Motorsport and its open-world counterpart, Forza Horizon.
While a PC version of the Forza franchise would surely be good news for PC gamers, it also involves a certain risk for Microsoft. Not only will it lessen the urge to buy a Xbox One for many gamers, it also means that Forza Motorsport will need to go head to head with PC racing games, allowing direct comparisons in fields that are traditionally not the strong-suit of console-exclusive racers, such as physics or sound effects.
