FH3 FAQ: Overview
I’m new to Forza: How does it differ from other car games?
The Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon series of games overlaps the Sports and Adventure genres. While there are voice actors and named characters, as well as career progression, the driver of the car is not a playable character outside the car. Forza games do not feature police, crime, or weapons. Players will see animals in the game, but don’t expect roadkill features. The focus of the Forza brand is on the enjoyment of driving and love car culture.
How is Forza Horizon 3 different from Forza Motorsport 6 etc?
The Forza Motorsport series of games take place on closed circuit tarmac tracks depicting real world locations (Le Mans, Daytona, etc). Forza Horizon 3 is an open world game where drivers can choose their own route through city streets and go offroad. The world of Forza Horizon 3 takes place in a compressed version of Australia, highlighting the varied terrain as well as depicting known landmarks. Motorsport and Horizon games share the same physics and lighting engine (ForzaTech), with slightly more forgiving handling in Horizon, but not “arcadey.” The theme of Forza Horizon 3 is a fictional music festival where the player is the boss: “That means you’ll be making the big decisions that affect the festival. From choosing when and where to expand the festival sites, all the way down to the music that is played and the events that take place – the decisions are up to you. Your goal is to win fans until your festival is the most popular in the world.”^
Is Forza Horizon 3 suitable for my child?
Forza games are designed to be playable by a range of skill levels, and offer driving assists that allow inexperienced players to point and go or harder difficulty settings to challenge experienced racing game players. FH3 is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB (and PEGI 3 in Europe), for “Mild Lyrics, Mild Violence” due to car collisions.^ The game’s song selections are typical of pop radio, and can be switched off. Xbox’s Code of Conduct prohibits car designs that contain vulgarity. In online multiplayer, players may be exposed to unrestrained audio chat from other players, who can be muted. Most of the game features are accessible within an hour from starting the game; completion of the main elements may take more than a dozen hours, with a full completion time that may take over 100 hours.
What is the minimum I need to play Forza Horizon 3? Do I need a steering wheel?
You do not need to own or have played previous Forza games in order to play FH3. The Standard version of the game costs $60 and is available either for the Xbox One family of consoles or Windows 10 PCs with the necessary performance and storage requirements. FH3 is not available for the Xbox 360 or other brand consoles. Other than a monitor the only other equipment requirement is a compatible controller (“gamepad”), which is included with retail console packages or available separately for PC use. A steering wheel, pedals, and shifter setup is not required. Kinect and a headset are not required but will enhance the playing experience in solo and multiplayer modes. An Xbox Live account is required to sign in on the console and PC. A paid Xbox Live Gold membership is required for multiplayer on the console but not required for multiplayer on the PC. Only one copy of the game on a console with Gold membership is necessary for guests on that console to play the game and have access to downloadable content add-ons. In-app purchases are not required to complete the game. See the Support topic for discussion about physical and visual impairment, and the Hardware section for discussion of technical issues.