14 DAY TRIAL // Turn 10 is the studio behind the most highly customizable car racing titles out there on the Xbox 360. Their latest one, Forza 2 Motorsport, was a really great game, offering players complete creative freedom on a very wide variety of cars, over 300 if we are to include the five downloadable content packs. It also offered a web integration feature, where players could actually auction their custom creations and bid on other limited edition cars. The sequel to this title is set to appear next year, Forza Motorsport 3 bringing an even wider variety of cars and circuits, over 400 models and 100 tracks, all packed in a double disc retail version. New game modes like drag or drift races are also on the feature list.
But the departure of Bizzarre Creations - the studio behind another very successful racing title for the Xbox 360, Project Gotham Racing - to Activision left Microsoft with a very valuable intellectual property but with no one to further develop it. So, who better than their own in-house Turn 10 studio to give the PGR universe to? AddictedGaming has recently reported that “close sources to the development team of Turn 10” say that Microsoft has given them the keys to the PGR franchise and asked them to develop the next Project Gotham Racing 5.
Although this move wasn't completely unexpected, it is still a rumor, with presumed announcements to follow these weeks. But until now, Microsoft hasn't come forward with any official press release regarding the fate of this valuable franchise. One thing's for sure, they definitely won't let it go to waste, where there's money to be made, you can't really complain. And rest assured, there are plenty of independent developers out there who are just itching at the chance to get their hands on such a precious title and a guaranteed money maker.