For many people cars have become more than a mode of transportation. For some they are an obsession, as owners lovingly tweak and tune their engines to get the best performance out of every crucial piece concealed under the bonnet, and it is these people that have always flocked to Microsoft’s Forza Motorsport titles.
Like many of the most realistic racers available, the Forza series has always indulged in a car fanatic’s devotion to digital automobiles, allowing them to not only get their hands on some of the world’s hottest vehicles, but also to completely customise them. Forza Motorsport 3 holds true to this, and expands on the success of its predecessor to take the franchise to new heights.
For the third instalment, Microsoft has aimed to make Forza more accessible while still satisfying the hardcore racing fans. For more casual players, a number of gameplay assists have been introduced to allow gamers of any ability to simply pick up and play, including auto-braking, auto-tuning and a rewind feature to get them back on the track after wrecking their car.
The season play mode also helps newcomers to the series, pulling data from the cars, tracks and events they perform best in and creating a schedule of upcoming challenges based on the gamer’s strengths. Online multiplayer can also be tailored to each player’s needs with the new game rules editor that lets them define racing parameters before they begin.
“Forza Motorsport 3 is the latest in the hit racing simulation franchise,” says Microsoft’s Xbox product marketing UK executive Laura Disney. “We are extremely pleased with the great work Turn 10 have done to improve on what was already an amazing game.
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“There is a huge and extremely active Forza community who are eagerly awaiting the game and with the assists added by Turn 10, the game can now be enjoyed by a whole new audience of car and racing fans. Forza Motorsport 3 is about inspiring people’s car passion.”
UNDER THE HOOD
Obviously, the cars are the stars here and there are plenty of vehicles for gamers to choose from. Microsoft has secured the rights to use 400 of the world’s greatest, sleekest and fastest cars from over 50 leading manufacturers. Players can get their hands on everything from the likes of the new Audi R8 V10, to the classic Ford GT or the Nissan 370Z.
All of these vehicles can be completely customised, with players able to upgrade and tune every engine part to their heart’s desire. The customisation tools themselves have been improved, making it easier to gamers to get their favourite cars running the way they want them to.
As with previous Forza games, there is even an in-depth livery editor that allows gamers to completely reskin any car and then use these redesigned racers on the track. Once again, players will be able to share their creations via Xbox Live but crucially these can be sold to other Forza owners for in-game credits.
“Forza 3 has many defining experiences and features for racing fans and newcomers,” says Disney.
“It has amazing graphics and physics that rival any racing game and boasts the largest creative online community.
“It has both thrilling and approachable gameplay. Turn 10 have improved on all the features Forza fans love but introduced multiple assists enabling anyone to play and enjoy. The game experience can be made as deep or simple as consumers want.”
A collector’s edition will also be available, which will include a copy of the game, a Forza keyring, a 2GB USB memory stick and a theme for the Xbox 360 dashboard. Consumers who buy this edition will also be designated as VIP members, and will be able to download VIP-only car designs in the future.
And joining this set is a super-elite Xbox 360 bundle, with a 250GB hard drive – all of which will be backed by a bumper marketing push.
CALL OF THE OPEN ROAD
As one of Microsoft’s biggest releases this season, the platform holder is putting considerable promotional weight behind Forza 3.
The key focus of the marketing campaign is to expand the series’ audience, inviting as many people as possible into the Forza fold.
“We have a wide array of marketing around the Forza Motorsport 3 franchise to many audiences, from those who love to play racing titles to more causal consumers,” says Microsoft’s Xbox product marketing UK executive Laura Disney.
“We will have a full range of POS in-store and we have also had a pre-order POS available for several weeks.”
Microsoft has arranged a large print campaign targeting gamers through specalist magazines, as well as men’s lifestyle and motoring publications, and a radio promotion has been set up with Absolute Radio’s breakfast show.
A heavyweight television campaign will see 60-, 30- and 20-second ads running during Champions League football games. These spots will also appear on Channel 4, Five and all major satellite channels.
