Developer Turn 10 has announced that the online servers for the racing games Forza Horizon and Forza Horizon 2 will officially shut down on August 22 “so that we can focus on our most current games.” Afterwards, the game’s matchmaking and leaderboards will no longer be functional, but the games will still be playable offline. The games have also been delisted from the Microsoft Store, but those who own the games can still redownload and play their single player modes.The full announcement via Turn 10:As these games now have a very small player population, we’ll be closing online services for Forza Horizon 1 and Forza Horizon 2 on August 22, 2023 so that we can focus on our most current games. Please note that due to the age of these games and their services, access to online functionality even prior to the official closure date is not guaranteed.While the single-player experience in both games will remain playable, any online functionality such as matchmaking, leaderboards and the browsing and downloading of online User Generated Content (UGC) including liveries, vinyls, tuning setups, and photos will not be available from August 22, 2023.We know our community has fond memories of exploring Colorado and Southern Europe in Forza Horizon 1 and 2, from meeting new friends on road trips to sharing liveries, photos and tunes, and we thank you all for your incredible passion, support and dedication over the last decade.Q: What does this closure mean for the online features in other Forza Horizon games, such as Forza Horizon 3 and Forza Horizon 4?A: Online features in Forza Horizon 3 and Forza Horizon 4 are unaffected by this closure and will continue to function like before.Q: Does this impact both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One versions of Forza Horizon 2, as well as the standalone Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious?A: Yes, online services for all versions of Forza Horizon 2 will close on August 22, 2023.Q: If I already own Forza Horizon 1 and/or Forza Horizon 2, can I redownload these games after August 22, 2023?A: Players who already own Forza Horizon 1 and/or Forza Horizon 2 can continue to download and access the single-player portions of these games even after the online services close on August 22, 2023.Q: Can I buy Forza Horizon or Forza Horizon 2 before August 22, 2023?A: No. Forza Horizon 1 and Forza Horizon 2 were already delisted from the Microsoft Store.Q: Will this change affect how I play these games on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S through backwards compatibility?A: No, as we are just closing the online services for Forza Horizon 1 and Forza Horizon 2, you will still be able to play the single-player portions of these games on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S through backwards compatibility.Q: What exactly in Forza Horizon and Forza Horizon 2 will be switched off?A: All online features and services in these games will be disabled on August 22, 2023. This includes but is not limited to: all activities that rely on online matchmaking, such as races, game modes, free roam and car meets, all online leaderboards, and the browsing, downloading and sharing of online UGC such as liveries, vinyls, tuning setups, and photos.
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A Nintendo Switch trailer was also released.
According to SteamDB.
An announcement trailer was also released.