Summary
Xbox inadvertently recommended a delisted game to a player recently, advertisingForza Horizon 3on its digital storefront.Forza Horizon 3, the third entry in Microsoft’s first-party off-shoot of its legendaryForzaracing franchise, went offline in 2020, though this apparently hasn’t stopped Xbox from showcasing the game to players based on their gaming history. Recommended games and other experiences based on player preferences are pretty standard for both Microsoft and Sony, though it’s curious how a delisted game likeForza Horizon 3manages to still exist in this digital world at all.
WhileHaloandGears of Warreign supreme in terms of console-exclusive titles,Microsoft’sForzafranchise has been shifting gearsfor twenty years, with the first game launching in May 2005. Since then, Microsoft and developer Turn 10 Studios have transformedForzainto a worldwide brand, with the series receiving its own spin-off in 2012 withForza Horizon. The franchise’s focus was flipped on its head, giving players a vast open world to explore. TheHorizonfranchise spawned numerous sequels itself, though the 2016 release ofForza Horizon 3can no longer be found online. However, this hasn’t stopped Xbox from recommending the game to potential players.
A Reddit user recently had their Xbox recommend thefeature-richForza Horizon 3to play next. While a decent game, especially for fans of the series,Forza Horizon 3has not been available to purchase since the game was delisted in September 2020. Why and how Xbox managed to still advertise the game is unknown, with the post sparking a discussion online. A few users joked about the incident, while others shared their theory as to howForza Horizon 3still showed up despite it vanishing from digital storefronts. “I think it shouldn’t show up in ‘picks for you’ section since, you know, it’s a delisted game,” said user GabaMassa. “But the reason it still ‘exists’ in the store is because people that bought can still download it after it was delisted.”
Xbox Recommends Player Try Delisted Forza Game
This theory makes the most sense, though it’s still quite strange. Despite being delisted,Forza Horizon 3is still available to download and play for those who had previously purchased it on Xbox. A regular physical copy will also work for those with an Xbox Series X/S console. Fans were worriedForza Horizon 3was being discontinued entirelyafter several features went offline earlier this year. However,Forza HorizonDeveloper Playground Games addressed these issues, essentially “rebooting” the game’s servers.
WhileForza Horizon 3may elude players, theForzafranchise is one of the few remaining pillars of Microsoft and Xbox’s exclusive first-party titles, though this is changing soon. Xbox recently confirmed thatForza Horizon 5would be coming to the PlayStation 5in a move that isn’t all that surprising considering Microsoft’s openness to working with outside developers and publishers.Forza Horizon 5’s arrival on Sony consoles certainly sets a precedent for future titles, though only time will tell if players will ever actually get to see Master Chief on PlayStation.
Forza Horizon 3
WHERE TO PLAY
You’re in charge of the Horizon Festival. Customize everything, hire and fire your friends, and explore Australia in over 350 of the world’s greatest cars. Make your Horizon the ultimate celebration of cars, music, and freedom of the open road. How you get there is up to you.Explore Australia – Horizon’s largest world yet. Drive through the vast desert and rocky canyons of the Outback to lush, wild rainforests, and to the sandy beaches and gleaming skyscrapers of Australia’s Gold Coast.More than 350 cars are recreated with ForzaVista™ detail including full cockpit views, working lights and wipers, and new vehicle types bringing all-new driving experiences never before seen in Forza. Horizon Blueprint gives you the power to modify every aspect of race events, championships, and Bucket List challenges – and instantly challenge friends to beat you at your own game. Choose your driver character, create custom paint jobs and vanity license plates, add new body kits – even select your own car horn sound.
