Forza Motorsport is a racing video game made specifically for the XBox game console. It was brought out on May 3, 2005 and marked the beginning of the Forza revolution. Since then, Microsoft has released two other versions with Forza 4 currently under development.
Forza Motorsport features 231 cars ranging from Honda Civic and Ford Focus models to Ferrari Enzo and Audi R8 models.
While the rest of the country is feeling the pinch of what may be another impending recession, video game developers apparently have no problems in giving away sports cars.
In what appears to be a response to Electronic Arts’ generosity, Microsoft, the developer of the Forza Motorsport video game franchise, is prepared to hand the keys of a real 2012 BMW M5 to a lucky gamer.
Since the new M5 can be seen in all its mug on the cover of Forza 4, it only seemed appropriate that Microsoft would be choosing the car as its contest prize. In fact, Microsoft went as far as teaming up with BMW themselves to create a virtual contest within the game called the ’BMW M5 Forza Cup.’ The objective is pretty simple, too. All you need to do is post the fastest virtual lap time of the M5.
In a statement released recently, Microsoft went with the specifics as to how gamers can join the contest. “This competition allows gamers who have signed up as members of the Xbox Live online community or at www.bmw.de/forza4 to push for the quickest time in the new BMW M5.
Visitors to selected BMW branches, BMW Welt in Munich and the BMW showroom in Berlin will also have the chance to enter the competition. The 16 finalists will lock horns in the final of the BMW M5 Forza Cup at BMW Welt on November 26 2011.”
The winner, of course, will walk home with a brand new 2012 BMW M5.
Game on, people!
Forza Motorsport 4 is getting ready to hit shelves on October 11, 2011, so Microsoft is reeling in the last bit of consumer restraint by tugging at the heartstrings of the car- and speed-loving fanatics of the world. In their newest trailer, spokesman Jeremy Clarkson goes into detail about the endangered species of the world: the lovers of speed, the devotees of power, performance, and noise.
The trailer talks about the diminishing numbers of opportunities for these fanatics to get into their powerful cars - an Aston Martin DB9, in this case - and ride speedily onto to the open road without fear of police interference. The time to enjoy the adrenaline rush felt by slamming down on the accelerator and the beauty behind driving freely is fading away into a distant memory, but Clarkson has a solution. Of course, this is a paid gig for him, but his solution is to get in on the Forza Motorsport 4 action. It may not be the same as the real thing, but the real thing may have some law enforcement consequences.
By the way, xBox Live Gold members can now enjoy the Forza 4 demo, so ride on!
Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in making a groundbreaking racing game like Forza Motorsport?
With all the attention geared towards the cars that appear in this game, it’s easy to lose track of the fact that designing all the world-class race tracks in the game is far more difficult given all the painstaking detail that goes into just one of these venues.
For their part, the developers over at Turn 10 studios spared no expense in their research and in this particular video, the team set out for Germany to visit the world-famous Hockenheim race track.
This five-minute video will illustrate just how much detail is required to make these tracks as realistic as possible. Needless to say, the guys at Turn 10 had their work cut out for them in building a realistic representation of Hockenheim for Forza 4. As the video will show you, all the tricks and gadgets came out just so the virtual version of the German race track looks as good as - if not better - than the real deal.
With so many racing games inundating the market these days, run-of-the-mill racing wheels, let alone the standard controllers, just wouldn’t cut it anymore.
These games feature cutting-edge technology and you’re using a cheap wheel to play them? Not exactly realistic, is it?
What you need is a racing wheel that will make the entire gaming experience all that more realistic. You need a wheel that will make you feel like you’re really driving those virtual cars. You need a wheel like the new Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Italia Racing Wheel.
From the minds that gave birth to the T500RS and the Ferrari Wireless GT Cockpit comes the latest in race gaming accessories. The 11" F458 wheel features a rubberized grip that allows you stay firmly in control of your virtual race car while the built-in metal paddle shifters, a Manettino dial, and progressive resistance allows you to make all the necessary adjustments to ensure that your lap times aren’t ruined by the smallest of mistakes. The F458 racing wheel is exclusive to the Xbox 360, which you can use for all your Forza 4 exploits.
As far as PS3 and PC gamers are concerned, you’re not left out in the dark. Thrustmaster will also be releasing the TH8 RS gear shifter, which you can connect to the aforementioned T500RS, allowing you to configure your gearbox set-up with either H-pattern or sequential configurations.
The accessories are dropping on shelves this October for the price of $180 for the F458 wheel and $90 for the TH8 gear shifter. They won’t come cheap, but for the awesome experience, forking over those amounts will all be worth it in the end.
Jeremy Clarkson has once again parlayed his immense popularity in the ranks of the auto industry with another fantastic gig to notch under his belt. Already famous for being the front man in the hit show, Top Gear, Clarkson is reaping the rewards of the BBC’s partnership with Forza Motorsport by being tapped to be the official narrator of the fourth installment of the popular racing game franchise.
Turn 10 Studios, they developed Forza 4, understands the potential windfall of having Clarkson involved in their game. “His opinions cause millions of fans to guffaw and thousands of car engineers to quiver in their wingtips," the company said in a statement. "And now Jeremy Clarkson is bringing his trademark insight and wit to Forza Motorsport 4.”
Clarkson’s sharp wit and off-the-cuff observations should be a refreshing change of pace for Forza 4 as he offers his trademark commentary to some of the world’s most exotic machines. The Top Gear host will be the voice of a new feature in the game called Autovista, which allows gamers to be able to go inside a virtual car showroom and inspect every nook and cranny of the car with the Kinect controller.
Every time somebody opens a door or looks under the hood, Clarkson will be there to give you all the insights you’re going to need to know more about the car you’re inspecting.
If we haven’t had enough of Clarkson’s quips on Top Gear, we now get another opportunity to listen to the wisecracking Brit as he invades our Xbox 360 consoles.
The fourth and newest installment of the Forza Motorsport franchise is set to drop on shelves this October and the developers of the game are itching to kick things off with a limited collector’s edition. This edition includes plenty of add-ons, downloads, and memorabilia to make even fans of Gran Turismo turn green with envy.
For a price of $79.99, Xbox gamers who avail of the collector’s edition package of Forza 4 will also get a 96-page photo book called the "Cars of Forza Motorsport 4", which is presented by Top Gear. On top of that, there will also be a downloadable VIP Car Pack that includes the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera, the Ferrari 458 Challenge, the Noble M600, and the RUF RT12 R. Then there’s the Ship Bonus Car Pack that includes the Koenigsegg Agera, the Tesla Roadster, the RUF RGT-8, a 1965 Ford Mustang GT, and a 1997 Lexus SC300.
All in all, the the collector’s edition Forza 4 package has plenty of added goodies in it to justify the $80 price tag. The game’s release can’t come soon enough.
We already know that the fourth installment of Forza Motorsport - Forza 4 - is already scheduled to hit the shelves sometime in October. Today, Microsoft is giving us even more reason to be excited for the month of Halloween to come.
In a move that is curiously close to the launch date of Forza 4, Microsoft will also be introducing its new Wireless Speed Wheel for the Xbox 360. The new device is compatible to all racing games and not just Forza 4, but it does seem like Microsoft is pegging their new device to be purchased as some sort of ’package deal’ together with the game.
Timely marketing and a stroke of genius, if you ask us.
According to Microsoft, the Wireless Speed Wheel can be controlled intuitively with precise steering, standard controller buttons and triggers, and feedback vibration when things go awry out on the track.
In a press release, Microsoft described the Wireless Speed Wheel as a new innovation that balances the realism of a wheel with the feel of a controller for greater user edge in game play.
“With trigger buttons for gas and brake, combined with a rumble feedback, the Xbox 360 Wireless Speed Wheel provides intuitive standard controller buttons that immerse the driver into the game, whether you like to white knuckle it down the race track with your hands at “10 and 2” or “9 and 3.”
The new device is expected to begin shipping to retailers all over the world on September 26 at a cost of $59.99. Something tells us that the sales of this new wireless steering wheel will go hand-in-hand with the volume of sales for Forza 4.
Gran Turismo, you have been served notice. Forza Motorsport, the long-held bridesmaid of the auto racing game universe, is trying to usurp Gran Turismo’s standing as the king of the hill with the release of their latest iteration to the Microsoft gaming franchise.
The game is Forza 4 and, by God, it’s looking more and more like the fireball of awesomeness it was propped to be, one that should have Sony and Polyphony execs quaking in their boots.
Featuring new technology that has never been adapted to the racing genre,
Forza 4 is breaking ground with the Kinect interactive controller technology that will be available in the game for the very first time. If you missed our prior feature regarding the Kinect demonstration done during the recently-concluded Electronic Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas, we don’t know what you’re waiting for.
If you’ve seen it, though, and your appetites have been duly whetted with anticipation, we must tell you that the game isn’t just about the new Kinect capability. It’s got more cars than ever from 80 different automakers. It’s got a couple of new gameplay modes, including one that features Top Gear, and it also has all our favorite circuits on the planet ready to host our video gaming marathons.
The only downside is that the game isn’t scheduled to be released until the fall, testing our patience in the process. But hey, it’s not like we haven’t gone through that whole merry-go-round with GT5 in the past. For now, you can have your names listed for pre-order until the game arrives, and if you’re itching for more videos to watch, the official trailer for the game has now been released.
Hit play and try to keep from drooling.
There’s no question that the pinnacle of racing video games is still Gran Turismo 5, but its Xbox counterpart, Forza 4, is giving the long-standing champion a serious run for its pixels.
The latest edition of the Forza franchise promises to be slicker and more awesome than its predecessors with Microsoft offering a few new additions and surprises, the most important being the inclusion of their breathtaking new tie-in: the Kinect.
The Kinect system allows gamers to be able to play games without the use of any controllers. As a system that takes into account the player’s movements, the integration of Kinect to Forza 4 allows gamers to race their cars simply by putting their hands in the "10 and 2 o’clock positions" and navigating the steering wheel as such. All the movements - be it bobs, weaves, or side glances - is captured by Kinect. In addition to that, the whole system integration also allows for us to take walking tours of our cars, including opening the doors and hopping inside.
Needless to say, the whole Kinect-factor for Forza 4 is a huge bonus for the game as it continues its ascent to the top of the auto racing video game ladder.
Check out another video after the jump.
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Microsoft isn’t letting up on what they are calling the most cutting-edge racing game in history in their Forza Motorsport series and they are bringing it back into the headlines with a Ferrari 458 Italia gracing the official cover and the list of goodies players will get if they preorder their copy.
The fourth installment of Forza is scheduled to hit shelves in the Fall 2011 and the new support for Kinect, as well as the classic controls, will be up and ready to thrill gamers. If Fall 2011 is too long to wait, fans of the game will be happy to know that U.S. retailers will be allowing them to pre-order Forza for $59.99.
Pre-ordering the game wouldn’t exactly be all that necessary if doing so didn’t open up the doors to a bunch of extra goodies. When you pre-order Forza Motorsport at any retail location, the game will come with an exclusive in-game car pack that includes a 1965 Ford Mustang GT Coupe, a 2011 Koenigsegg Agera, a 1997 Lexus SC300, a 2011 RUF RGT-8, and a 2011 Tesla Roadster Sport. Players can race, tune, paint, and share their creations with their friends, but the pack will only be available in the first production run of “Forza Motorsport 4” game discs.
That’s not all, either. If gamers preorder their game at certain retailers, other fun prizes will be included in their pack. Hit the jump to check out the list of retailers and their extra goodies.
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