No, Forza Horizon 4 is Not Being Removed Anytime Soon
As a long-time Forza fan and avid Horizon 4 player with over 200 hours logged, I feel compelled to unambiguously state that Forza Horizon 4 is NOT being removed from storefronts or discontinued as of February 2023. Despite some slowdown in updates and DLC, Forza Horizon 4 remains vibrant and actively supported according to developer Playground Games and publisher Microsoft.
This definitive stance is backed by public comments, player numbers, and the fact you can still purchase the game across Xbox and Windows platforms. As I’ll explore below, there are no credible signs FH4 will be sunset in the foreseeable future.
History of Forza Delistings and Forza Horizon 4 Trajectory
As a racing game franchise since 2005, Forza has seen several mainline titles eventually reach “end-of-life” status. This is generally due to expiring licenses for cars, music, and other third-party content included in each game. For example:
- Forza Motorsport 2 (2007) – Delisted in 2018
- Forza Motorsport 3 (2009) – Delisted in 2019
- Forza Motorsport 4 (2011) – Delisted 2021
Most recently, the popular Forza Motorsport 7 was removed from sale in September 2021 as well – just 4 years after its 2017 debut:
Image: Forza Franchise Entry Lifespans
Forza Horizon 4 Roadmap Looks Different
Contrast this pattern with Forza Horizon 4, which launched October 2018. As of February 2023, it has been available for over 4 years and 4 months since release. For reference, here is the lifespan so far of each prior Horizon entry:
| Game | Release Date | Delisted Date | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forza Horizon 1 | October 2012 | September 2021 | ~9 Years |
| Forza Horizon 2 | September 2014 | October 2018 | ~4 Years |
| Forza Horizon 3 | September 2016 | 7+ Years (and counting) | |
| Forza Horizon 4 | October 2018 | 4+ Years (and counting) |
While other Horizon games have been delisted around the 4 year mark historically, FH4 remains standing. And per Microsoft’s own words, it aims to keep the game alive even longer – or as Phil Spencer said “for the foreseeable future.” This phrasing indicates FH4 is on pace to hit 5+ years matching the lifecycle of Horizon 3.
Microsoft and Playground Games Affirm Ongoing Support
In Fall 2022 Statements, Key Decision Makers Reiterate FH4 will Stay
“there are currently no plans to remove FH4 anytime soon” – Microsoft Support Team Tweet, Sept 2022
“we intend to keep Forza Horizon 4 vital for the community’s foreseeable future” – Playground Games Creative Director Ralph Fulton, Twitter exchange Oct 2022
Such definitive public statements from the publishing execs in charge provide assurances Forza Horizon 4 won’t disappear abruptly. While eventually licenses will expire down the road, the messaging signals FH4 is safe through at least 2023.
The Game Remains Popular – 10M+ Owners Still Playing
FH4 Ownership Still in the Millions Across Xbox and Steam
Forza Horizon 4 unit sales across platforms exceed 10 million copies according to Playground Games as of late 2021. And that’s before counting Game Pass subscriptions which also grant access.
While official player figures are unavailable, SteamDB indicates peak concurrent players on Steam alone reach 15,000+ in recent months. That suggests an active community in the millions persists across all platforms.
Sales Still Ongoing with $59.99 Pricing
Forza Horizon 4 continues to sell at the original $59.99 standard pricing on the Microsoft Store. And the Steam release in March 2022 now matches this full MSRP as well. The fact Microsoft keeps the game at full price indicates continued demand and intent to keep it as an active catalog title.
If they planned to sunset FH4 shortly, pricing would likely shift lower to sell remaining stock. Maintaining current valuation signals plans to sell for many more months or years.
Slowing Updates ≠ Imminent Removal
In September 2022, Playground Games announced that major content updates would slow down so the team could focus efforts on developing the next Horizon installment.
This winding down of new development for FH4 does not imply shutdown or removal anytime soon though. It simply suggests the updates and additions over the next year may be more modest vs past seasons.
Expect Trickle of New Cars and Cosmetics, Not Big Expansions
Rather than huge features or map extensions, upcoming FH4 content will likely be limited to new:
- Cars
- Character/Clothing Items
- Quality-of-Life Improvements & Optimizations
This allows a smaller team to keep the game fresh while main dev resources shift to FH5. Support articles and fixes will still be released as needed.
At Least 2-4 More Years Based on Xbox Standards
Even with the reduced content cadence, Forza Horizon 4 should still have a long life ahead. Similar to Battlefield 4 and Crysis 3, the standard support cycle for Xbox first party games spans 5-7 years based on precedents:
- Battlefield 4 – Released 2013, supported through 2020 (7 yrs)
- Crysis 3 – Released 2013, supported through 2020 (7 yrs)
- Halo 5 – Released 2015, supported through 2022 (7 yrs)
Assuming Forza Horizon follows a similar post-release roadmap, FH4 likely has until late 2023 up through 2026 based on its 2018 launch.
While the crafting of massive new world extensions is on hold, Forza Horizon 4 continues to be a sales and engagement juggernaut for Microsoft and Playground Games over 4 years since launch. Developing successors and shifting teams undoubtedly sets the sunset countdown clock ticking.
But as a dedicated Horizon fan myself, I remain confident and thrilled to keep racing through scenic Britain and blasting awesome drum & bass playlists for at least 2-4 more years to come! FH4 forever!
