Delisted Racing Game Revives Online Play

Forza Horizon 3 Online Services Remain Active Despite Delisting

Despite being removed from digital storefronts in 2020, Forza Horizon 3's online functionality persists, much to the delight of its player base. A recent community manager confirmation, following player reports of service disruptions, assures continued support for online features. This contrasts with the fate of Forza Horizon and Forza Horizon 2, whose online services were shut down permanently after delisting.

The Forza franchise, launched in 2005 with Forza Motorsport, has seen continued success, particularly with the Horizon series debuting in 2012. The latest installment, Forza Horizon 5, released in 2021, recently surpassed 40 million players, solidifying its place as one of Xbox's most successful titles. This success, however, didn't prevent some controversy surrounding its exclusion from the Best Ongoing Game category at The Game Awards 2024.

A recent Reddit thread expressed concern over potential Forza Horizon 3 online service termination after players encountered inaccessible features. However, a Playground Games senior community manager swiftly addressed these worries, announcing a server reboot and reaffirming their commitment to maintaining online services. The game's 2020 delisting marked its "End of Life" status, ending sales of the base game and DLC on the Microsoft Store.

Forza Horizon 3's Online Persistence: A Positive Sign

The swift response to the Forza Horizon 3 online issues stands in contrast to the 2024 delisting of Forza Horizon 4, another highly successful title with over 24 million players since its 2018 release. Playground Games' proactive approach and the positive player response following the server reboot are encouraging.

Forza Horizon 5's remarkable achievement of over 40 million players since its 2021 launch underscores the franchise's enduring popularity. Anticipation is high for Forza Horizon 6, with many players hoping for a long-requested Japan setting. While Playground Games is currently working on the anticipated Fable title, speculation remains about the next Horizon installment.