Honestly, it’s a bit of a tragedy. You want to play all the forza games, right? You want to see how the series went from a scrappy Gran Turismo clone on the original Xbox to the massive, festival-chasing juggernaut it is now. But here is the kicker: if you try to go buy them today, you basically can’t.
Microsoft has this habit of "delisting" their older titles. Because of all the licensing deals with car manufacturers like Ferrari and Porsche, and the massive soundtracks featuring artists like CHVRCHES or Kendrick Lamar, the games have an expiration date. Once those licenses run out—usually after four years—the game vanishes from the digital storefront. It’s gone. Poof.
The Great Divide: Motorsport vs. Horizon
Before we get into the weeds, you’ve gotta understand that there are actually two very different franchises living under the same roof.
First, you have Forza Motorsport. This is the serious one. It’s developed by Turn 10 Studios, and it’s all about professional circuit racing. Think helmets, pit crews, and the perfect apex. Then there’s Forza Horizon, developed by Playground Games. This is the "cool" sibling. It’s an open-world party set at a fictional music festival where you can jump a multi-million dollar hypercar off a cliff just for the "accolades."
Most people these days prefer Horizon. It's more relaxed. It’s accessible. But the purists? They still swear by the early Motorsport titles for that raw, mechanical feel that the newer games kinda lost.
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Where It All Started: The Xbox 360 Golden Era
The original Forza Motorsport (2005) was Microsoft’s "me too" moment. They needed a sim-racer to compete with Sony. It was good, but Forza Motorsport 4 (2011) is arguably the peak of the entire series. Fans still talk about it like it’s the holy grail. It had Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear doing voiceovers and a car list that felt like it was curated by someone who actually loved grease and oil, not just marketing spreadsheets.
Then came the pivot.
In 2012, Forza Horizon dropped. It took the physics from Motorsport and dumped them into Colorado. It was a risk. People weren't sure if an open-world Forza would work, but it ended up being the best thing to happen to the brand.
Every Main Entry at a Glance
Since we are talking about all the forza games, let’s look at the timeline. It’s a lot of games, and keeping them straight is a headache.
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- Forza Motorsport (2005): The original. Introduced Drivatars, which were basically AI that learned from your bad driving habits.
- Forza Motorsport 2 (2007): The jump to Xbox 360. This is where the livery editor really took off. People were painting incredibly detailed anime girls on car hoods. Don't ask.
- Forza Motorsport 3 (2009): Added rollovers and more "mainstream" features.
- Forza Motorsport 4 (2011): The GOAT. Still looks decent today.
- Forza Horizon (2012): The start of the festival. Much more "vibey" than the sequels.
- Forza Motorsport 5 (2013): A bit of a disaster. It was a launch title for Xbox One and felt rushed. Hardly any cars or tracks compared to FM4.
- Forza Horizon 2 (2014): Set in Southern France and Northern Italy. The first one to have dynamic weather.
- Forza Motorsport 6 (2015): Fixed the mess of FM5. Added night racing and rain.
- Forza Horizon 3 (2016): Australia. This is when the series went "supernova." The Hot Wheels expansion was legendary.
- Forza Motorsport 7 (2017): The last "numbered" Motorsport. It had over 700 cars but was bogged down by a weird loot box system (which they eventually removed).
- Forza Horizon 4 (2018): Britain. Introduced seasons. One week it’s summer, the next everything is frozen.
- Forza Horizon 5 (2021): Mexico. Massive map. Visually stunning. It recently even made its way over to the PlayStation 5 in 2025, which was a huge deal for the industry.
- Forza Motorsport (2023): The reboot. No number. Just "Forza Motorsport." It focused on a new "CarPG" progression system that, honestly, a lot of players hated because it forced you to grind for hours just to put better tires on your car.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Physics
There is this myth that Horizon is "arcade" and Motorsport is "sim."
It’s not that simple. Both games run on the same underlying engine, called ForzaTech. The difference is mostly in the "tires." In Horizon, the tires are essentially made of magic glue. You can take a corner at 100 mph and the car will probably stick. In Motorsport, you’ll end up in the tire wall.
The weight transfer and suspension physics are actually quite similar, but Horizon turns down the "punishment" factor so you can enjoy the scenery without spinning out every five seconds.
The Survival Guide for Collectors
If you want to play the older games like Forza Motorsport 4 or the original Forza Horizon, you have to go physical.
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You cannot find them on the Xbox Store. You have to hunt down those green plastic cases at thrift stores or on eBay. And if you’re a PC player? You’re mostly out of luck for the older stuff. The franchise didn’t really come to PC until Forza Motorsport 6: Apex (a free-to-play demo) and then fully with Forza Horizon 3.
Moving Forward
We are currently in a weird spot for the franchise. Forza Motorsport (2023) is still being updated, but the community is restless. They want the "soul" of the old games back. Meanwhile, everyone is looking toward the next Horizon.
If you’re looking to dive in right now, here is what you should do.
Step 1: Check Game Pass. Both Forza Horizon 5 and the new Forza Motorsport are there. It’s the cheapest way to see which style you prefer.
Step 2: Don't ignore the DLC. If you find a way to play Forza Horizon 3, the Hot Wheels expansion is genuinely one of the most fun things ever put in a racing game.
Step 3: Buy physical. If you see a copy of Forza Motorsport 4 or Forza Horizon 1 at a garage sale for five bucks, grab it. Those games are essentially digital ghosts now, and they are only getting harder to find.