Forza Horizon 4 is a racing video game released in 2018. It was created by Playground Games and published by Microsoft Studios. The game was first available on October 2, 2018, for Windows and Xbox One computers. It was announced earlier at Xbox’s E3 2018 event. An improved version of the game was later released on November 10, 2020, for Xbox Series X/S consoles. The game takes place in a fictional version of areas in Great Britain. It is the fourth game in the Forza Horizon series and the eleventh game in the overall Forza series. This game introduced changing seasons to the series and included updates that added new game modes. A follow-up game, Forza Horizon 5, was released on November 9, 2021. Forza Horizon 4 was no longer available for purchase on all platforms starting December 15, 2024.
Gameplay
Forza Horizon 4 is a racing game set in an open world based on a fictional version of Great Britain. The game includes areas inspired by real places such as Edinburgh, the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District (including Derwentwater), Ambleside, the Cotswolds (including Broadway), Bamburgh, and others. Players can use a route creator tool to design custom race paths. The game takes place in a shared world where up to 72 players can play together online, unlike earlier versions that used AI-controlled drivers. Players can also play the game offline.
The game has a dynamic weather system that changes with the seasons. For example, Derwentwater freezes in winter, allowing players to drive on ice to reach parts of the game world that are not accessible in other seasons. Seasons are the same for all players on each server, and they change weekly on Thursdays at 2:30 pm GMT. Players are warned about upcoming season changes with a countdown clock. When the countdown ends, a short cinematic scene shows the season change, but this scene is delayed if a player is in the middle of an activity.
The game includes over 750 licensed cars from different car brands. Players can buy in-game houses that unlock new items, cars, and perks, such as the Horizon Promo and the ability to fast travel anywhere on the map.
Wheelspins are prize spins that give random rewards like cars, in-game currency, emotes, horns, and clothing. These are earned by completing story events and seasonal challenges. Wheelspins can also be purchased in the #Forzathon shop. Super Wheelspins, which offer better prizes, are also available through the same shop. The game also includes a soundtrack from British drum & bass label Hospital Records, featuring 20 original tracks and an unreleased song titled "Sunrise" by Fred V & Grafix. The soundtrack album was released on October 26, 2018.
The game uses a Dolby Atmos soundtrack for enhanced audio.
Due to licensing issues, some vehicles from Mitsubishi Motors and Toyota (except for certain off-road and pre-customized models) were not included in the base game. These brands returned in 2019 through downloadable content. On January 15, 2019, the Free Mitsubishi Motors Car Pack DLC was released. On the same day, two emotes ("Carlton" and "Floss") were removed from the game due to legal disputes. Toyota vehicles returned in December 2019 with the release of the 1998 Toyota Supra RZ in the Series 17 update.
Forza Horizon 4 has received several content expansions and updates since its release. Two downloadable content expansions were added: Fortune Island, released in December 2018, and Lego Speed Champions, released in June 2019. Fortune Island includes a new map, additional cars, extreme weather, and a treasure-hunting campaign. Lego Speed Champions features a map built with Lego pieces, a campaign based on Lego Speed Champions toys, and a new radio station playing "Everything Is Awesome" from The Lego Movie.
Updates have added new content, such as the Free DLC Mitsubishi Motors Car Pack in January 2019, which included 7 new cars and a new campaign called Isha's Taxis. Additional car packs, including Bond cars, Formula Drift cars, and Barrett-Jackson cars, were released by February 2021. A Car Pass with 42 new cars and a Welcome Pack with pre-tuned cars and a free house were also added. Updates every four weeks during the Spring season introduced new cars, gameplay content, and cosmetic items.
The first of these updates, in October 2018, added the Route Creator tool and a new Horizon Story called British Racing Green. The Series 7 update in March 2019 introduced the Festival Playlist, where players complete daily, weekly, and monthly challenges to earn rewards. Completing 50% or 80% of these challenges unlocks exclusive cars or cosmetic items.
In May 2019, the Series 9 update added a system to prevent wallriding (driving into walls to gain speed) and high-speed collisions in online play. The system slows down cars that hit walls or predicts collisions between vehicles with large speed differences to prevent accidents.
In July 2019, the Series 11 update added a special Horizon Story in collaboration with BBC's Top Gear, narrated by Chris Harris. Players earned rewards like the "Track-tor" and the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6×6. The update also reintroduced class-based Rivals modes and added new cars to the Festival Playlist.
In December 2019, the Series 17 update added a new 72-player battle royale-style mode called The Eliminator. Players start in weak cars like a 1965 Mini Cooper and collect stronger vehicles as they move through the map. Players can also challenge others to races by honking their horn at their vehicle.
Reception
Forza Horizon 4 received "universal acclaim" for its Xbox One version, while the PC version received "generally favorable" reviews, according to Metacritic, a website that collects game reviews. The Xbox One version is the highest-rated Forza Horizon game and shares the top rating with Forza Motorsport and Forza Motorsport 3 based on Metacritic scores.
Game Informer praised the changing weather in the game, saying it made races more interesting. They noted that weather changes how players race and sometimes forces them to choose cars better suited for the conditions. VG247 highlighted the many activities and challenges in the game, stating there are many things to do and find, but the tasks only feel overwhelming if players aim to complete every challenge. The Guardian criticized the festival system as confusing but appreciated the detailed car models, explaining that each of the 50 cars in a player’s garage offers a slightly different experience. Polygon said the game’s setting felt like a theme-park version of England, with an idealized 1950s look that included perfect gardens and no signs of modern life like graffiti or city areas.
GamesRadar+ said the setting in Britain was less interesting than the Australia setting in Forza Horizon 3 but liked the online multiplayer modes, comparing them to the fun of playing with friends in Burnout Paradise. GameSpot praised new features, such as the ability to create custom race tracks and return of creative story missions that include stunt driving and references to other racing games. Destructoid had mixed feelings about the winter season, saying it was the only season that truly changed how driving worked but could be less enjoyable for players who dislike sliding on icy roads.
On January 18, 2019, Playground Games announced the game had 7 million registered players after the Fortune Island expansion. In June 2019, before the Lego Speed Champions expansion, the company said the game had reached 10 million players. By August 2019, the game had 12 million players. By November 2020, Microsoft reported that 24 million players had played the game since its launch.