Playground and Turn 10 Studios Merge Into Single Forza Developer

Microsoft is merging Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios into a single developer, formalizing a partnership that has spanned over a decade. The two studios have collaborated on Forza games for years, and the consolidation marks a significant shift in how Xbox will manage the racing franchise going forward.

Xbox chief creative officer Matt Booty announced the change in a letter to employees, stating: "These two studios have been creative and franchise partners for over a decade, and today's changes will formally move their work into one team."

The merger comes as part of a broader Xbox reorganization. While Activision and Bethesda are expanding their portfolios with additional studios, the Forza developers are taking a different path. Microsoft has not explicitly confirmed whether layoffs will accompany the merger, though 268 positions across Xbox are being eliminated as part of a second wave of job cuts announced separately. Mergers typically result in overlapping roles being consolidated.

Playground Games developed the original Forza Horizon in 2012 and has led the franchise since, with each subsequent entry growing its prominence within Xbox's lineup. Forza Horizon 6 released earlier this year to positive reviews. Turn 10 Studios, founded in 2001, specialized in the simulation-focused Forza Motorsport series and developed eight entries before Forza Motorsport launched in 2023 as a live-service title. That game failed to gain significant traction. Following July 2025 layoffs, Turn 10 ended new content development for Forza Motorsport and transitioned to supporting Playground's work.