Xbox Combines Forza Teams to Focus on Forza Horizon and Fable Development

Today, Xbox revealed that the original developers of its well-known racing series, Forza, will be merging with the team behind the even more successful Forza Horizon spin-off. This consolidation aims to create a larger studio dedicated to both the Forza and Fable franchises.

On September 22, Xbox’s chief content officer, Matt Booty, shared a memo on Xbox Wire detailing further layoffs and organizational changes within the company. This marks another phase in Xbox’s significant restructuring, which began with 1,600 layoffs and major shifts back in July. Booty confirmed that more layoffs are on the horizon and that Playground Studios, the developer of Forza Horizon, will join forces with Turn 10, the creators of Forza, to form a single studio.

“Playground and Turn 10 will come together as one studio focused on the Forza and Fable franchises,” Booty stated. “These two studios have been creative partners for over a decade, and today’s changes will officially unify their efforts into one team.”

Playground has become a crucial asset for Xbox, with its Forza Horizon open-world series emerging as one of the platform’s standout franchises in recent years. The studio is also wrapping up work on the highly anticipated reboot of the Fable RPG series, set to launch in February 2027.

In contrast, Turn 10 has faced significant challenges in recent years. In 2025, the original Forza Motorsport team experienced substantial layoffs, leaving them operating with a minimal staff. Reports indicated that a planned new Forza Motorsport title was canceled. The last release from Turn 10 was in 2023, and the future of the original Forza Motorsport series remains uncertain. It’s also unclear whether Turn 10 will fully integrate into Playground Studios, vice versa, or if a new studio will be established altogether.