Summary

• Forza Horizon 3's online services continue despite the game being delisted in 2020.
• A community manager confirmed the servers were rebooted after players reported certain unavailable features, reaffirming Playground Games' commitment to maintaining online services.
• Forza Horizon 5 recently set a new milestone, accumulating over 40 million players since its launch in 2021.

Forza Horizon 3's online services have been revitalized recently, much to the delight of fans, even though the game was delisted back in 2020. Playground Games' dedication to keeping these features active has reassured the community, especially after the online services for the original Forza Horizon and Forza Horizon 2 were shut down. A senior community manager from Playground Games played a pivotal role in calming fears, confirming that Forza Horizon 3's multiplayer features remain robust.

The Forza franchise kicked off in 2005 with Forza Motorsport, followed by the first Forza Horizon in 2012. The latest installment, Forza Horizon 5, has been in the spotlight, especially after missing out on the Best Ongoing Game category at The Game Awards 2024. Despite this, Forza Horizon 5 has outshone its predecessors with extensive post-launch content and innovative updates, such as the Hide and Seek multiplayer mode.

A Reddit user named JoaoPaulo3k shared a screenshot of a post asking, "Is this the end of Forza 3?" after experiencing issues with certain features. This sparked concerns within the community about the potential termination of online services. However, the swift response from Playground's senior community manager, who was dubbed a "saint" by fans, confirmed that the servers had been rebooted. This was crucial news, especially since Forza Horizon 3 reached its "End of Life" status in 2020, meaning the game and its DLC were no longer available for purchase from the Microsoft Store.

Forza Horizon 3's Online Services Endure Despite Game Being Delisted

The Forza community faced another setback when Forza Horizon 4 was delisted in December 2024, despite its success and over 24 million players since its 2018 launch. However, Playground's proactive approach to addressing online issues and community concerns for Forza Horizon 3 has been a source of encouragement. The community manager also noted increased traffic following the server reboot, signaling continued interest in the game.

Three years post-launch, Forza Horizon 5 achieved a significant milestone by attracting over 40 million players since its 2021 debut. This open-world racer has become one of Xbox's most successful titles ever, and anticipation is building for the next installment, likely to be Forza Horizon 6. Fans are particularly vocal about their desire for a Japan-themed setting, and while Playground Games might be quietly working on this successor, they are also focused on completing the highly anticipated Fable title.