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Every car in Forza 5 is half off this weekend, credit payout increasing in December
Turn 10 Studios is discounting every car in Forza Motorsport 5 by 50 percent from Friday, November 29 through Sunday, December 1 following community feedback for the game. The developer is also offering VIP members the 2013 Lotus E21 grand prix car for free and the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO for those that already purchased the E21. Turn 10 is also changing the game's economy by "dramatically increasing the credit payout available to all Forza players" in the month of December through its Forza Rewards loyalty program. The developer notes that the higher a player's tier level is before Sunday, the better the rewards will be, so those that spend extra time in Forza 5 in the coming days will see a nicer payout next month. Additionally, the developer admitted that the 1,250 in-game credits packed with the limited edition version of the game isn't enough to buy any car in the game as advertised. To make up for it, limited edition owners will soon be able to download an on-disc car of their choice for free. Owners of the LaFerrari launch car pack or the Forza 5 car pass will also receive the 2013 LaFerrari for free.
Amazon sale: Xbox One launch games for $49, a year of Gold for $40
Amazon is running a special Xbox promotion right now until December 6 (or until supplies last) where patrons can grab a game at a reduced price and a year of Xbox Live for $20 off. Xbox One launch games Ryse, Dead Rising 3, Forza 5, Battlefield 4 and Call of Duty: Ghosts are all marked down to $49. Choosing one of these games will then yield a year of Xbox Live Gold for $40 – $20 off the usual asking price. The Xbox One launched last week and we've been covering it like crazy. Our Xbox One launch hub is home to all of our reviews for the games listed above, plus launch news and everything else dealing with the Xbox One. We also did the same thing for the PS4, which launched two weeks back on November 15, so be sure to check out our PS4 launch hub too.
Gaming deals: $200 Batman, The Last of Us PS3 bundle, Xbox One games, Battlefield 4 for PS4 $50
Black Friday is making our wallets cower as it looms in the distance, but why wait until then to start your financial downfall? Kmart is currently offering a 250GB PS3 with The Last of Us and Batman: Arkham Origins for $200. If you've already jumped into the current console generation, Amazon is selling select Xbox One games for $50, including Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5, Ryse: Son of Rome, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes and ... Angry Birds: Star Wars. If you'd prefer to play on the PS4 and are generally optimistic, you can also buy Battlefield 4 for PS4 for $50 and hope that its issues are resolved before it reaches your doorstep. Since we're talking deals, Steam users can pick up Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit and Rage for $4.99 each this weekend, the latter of which can be played for free until 4pm Eastern Time. The ARMA series and most of its DLC can also be had for 80 percent off, meaning you can pick up Steam's ARMA selection for $18.98. Update: Amazon is also offering select games from the PS4 launch lineup for $50 apiece, including Knack, Need for Speed: Rivals, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Madden NFL 25 and FIFA 14. [Thanks, Jack!]
Review: Xbox One
We'll be rolling out Xbox One review coverage all the way through launch on November 22. Read all of our news and reviews right here! Some of the close-to-final functionality of the Xbox One was only made available this week, so this review is a living document for our thoughts on the platform. Stay tuned for more updates from now until launch! Update 1: Added additional content on game installation, Kinect features and gameplay clip editing. Update 2: More writing about Smartglass, Skype and system favorites. Added a terrible joke. Update 3: Conclusion ... concluded! Xbox, On(e) With the Xbox One, Microsoft trusts that today's living room configuration is still set around a dominant television, a large window into games, movies and long-form storytelling. This is a games machine in the vein of the successful Xbox 360, complete with online games and Achievements as always, but Microsoft is looking to provide a platform for all your entertainment this time, whether it's from Hollywood or HBO. This glut of content and features is hard to corral, especially when players and consumers want to be unhindered in their demands. The interface can't just be aimed at those who identify themselves as gamers. With more processing power, an enhanced Kinect camera and an interface designed around surfacing and serving content of all sorts, the Xbox One serves as a strong backbone for the living room, though it requires some patience and effort from the people seated in front of it.
Forza Motorsport 5 review: Cloud strife
We'll be rolling out Xbox One review coverage all the way through launch on November 22. Read all of our news and reviews right here! I slide through the Bernese alps in an immaculate Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, colored to match the mountain's bright white blanket. I've never driven this car, on this road, in my life, but I have glided home on a highway late at night, just content with the motion, the guiding curvature of the road, the world hurtling by. This is something similar, I think, but with much better scenery. And with that scenery comes a certain serenity at last. I glance in my rear-view mirror and - oh no. No, no no no. It's him. He's found me amongst the frosty peaks of Europe. Behind me is a simulated driver in a demon-red Ferrari, bearing the name "XrayAlfaVictor." It's the name of the internet servant, the "Drivatar," belonging to my coworker Xav. His Drivatar is here to kill me.
Oh snap: Microsoft demos Xbox One's snap feature in new video
Microsoft's Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Yusuf Mehdi guided players through a demo of the Xbox One's snap feature in the latest video for the home console slated to launch on November 22. The system's Kinect-based snap commands allows players to watch TV, surf the web and check on their friends list during games like Forza 5, the racing game Mehdi happens to play during the demo. Our recent impressions of the Xbox One's dashboard features noted that the system cannot snap two games side-by-side, as the operating system gives priority to games like Forza 5 and Dead Rising 3. Besides, you'd have to be some kind of secret octopus to pull off a feat like playing two games at once.
Xbox One dashboard impressions: Finding Forza 5
The Xbox One has eyes and ears in the living room, more observant and more attuned to the human voice than ever before. Its Kinect camera can track multiple skeletons (usually inside people) and study your face for a post-workout pulse. It will understand you when you talk to it, and stop listening if you wish. And yes, you can unplug it. The new Kinect camera is not so sophisticated, however, as to detect the tinge of awkwardness that comes with press demos – this one in a San Francisco loft reserved for demonstrating the Xbox One as a platform. I sit on a couch between Xbox's Corporate VP, Marc Whitten, and Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Yusuf Mehdi, who will show me a product intended for a living room, quite unlike the cold approximation we find ourselves in. I face a giant television as they walk me through the system's standout features, never wavering in politeness and concision. They probably wince invisibly the few times a vocal command fails to register, because goddammit that's probably going into the article, isn't it? The Kinect quickly recognizes Whitten by his face and signs him into his Xbox profile. It does the same for Mehdi, and now they're both signed in on the system. Either one can summon their personal content by speaking, and the Xbox One will know which items to roll out without having to ask, "Sorry, which one of you said that?"
Forza Motorsport 5's 'Drivatar' system fine-tunes the competition
While the Forza series has gotten really good at customizing a player's personal experience based on their driving knowhow, it hasn't made as much progress in terms of fine-tuning the computer-controlled competitors on the track. Forza Motorsport 5 aims to fix this with Drivatar – a type of learning AI system that governs every AI racer in the game. Drivatar, a system powered by the cloud and fueled by the habits and behaviors of Forza 5 players, is something developer Turn 10 Studios hopes will make racing in Forza 5 more dynamic, unpredictable and true to life.
Forza Motorsport 5's 'Car Pass' is $50
Microsoft detailed its DLC plans for the Xbox One launch title Forza Motorsport 5, revealing that it will offer a $49.99 "Car Pass" that collects the game's first six batches of add-on content. Developer Turn 10 will release a selection of new cars for Forza Motorsport 5 monthly, and players will be able to purchase vehicles either a la carte or via discounted "Car Pack" bundles. Microsoft notes that the Car Pass offers an 18 percent savings over buying each pack individually, suggesting that Car Packs will be priced at around $10 apiece. The LaFerrari hypercar, pictured above, headlines a 10-vehicle Car Pack launching alongside Forza Motorsport 5 on November 22.
Look at all the Audis you can drive in Forza 5
Forza Motorsport 5 includes a selection of Audis at launch, including the 2012 Audi #1 Audi Sport Team Joest R18 e-tron quattro and others with slightly shorter names. Check out the full list of Audis below.
Monthly DLC car packs return in Forza 5
Turn 10 Studios has revealed plans to continue its tradition of releasing bursts of exotic (and ironically mundane) vehicles each month in Forza Motorsport 5. As the studio points out, Forza 4 saw 12 downloadable, monthly car packs. It's unknown how many Forza 5 will receive, but we do know that each pack will include 10 cars, all of which will feature full Forzavista support, allowing players to pop the hood or check the interior in detail. Though pricing information for these DLC packs is currently unknown, Turn 10 has also revealed a "Car Pass" promotion that will allow players to purchase the first six planned additions all at once. There's currently no information on how much this Pass might cost, but that should be appearing soon, alongside more information on "a very special inclusion in the first add-on pack for Forza Motorsport 5."
Forza Motorsport 5 vacations to Belgium for a speedy gameplay trailer
Developer Turn 10 takes us for a leisurely drive around the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium for Forza Motorsport 5's latest trailer. During this abbreviated lap, you'll get an early look at the Xbox One launch title's finer features, including its advanced reflection detail and subtle damage modeling, the latter of which becomes apparent following "accidental" scrapes with rival drivers.
Four new Forza Motorsport 5 rides revealed
Developer Turn 10 has revealed four new fresh whips from the Forza Motorsport 5 roster this week: the 2012 Nissan GT-R Black Edition (above), 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400, 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series, and the 2007 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. Microsoft's flagship racing franchise launches alongside the Xbox One on November 22.
Xbox One's modular racing accessories exposed
Accessories have been upgraded on the Xbox One to be more modular, Microsoft's Director of Strategic Alliance Brandan Powell explains in the video segment above. This modularity allows players to add components to their initial investment over time: You can buy a racing wheel for Need for Speed Rivals or Forza Motorsport 5, Powell says, then add gauges or custom pedal types for a more personalized set-up. Powell also says hardware now has more nuanced force feedback options. Developers, using new feedback equations within the game code, can create a more dynamic range of feedback as opposed to the sort of "canned" responses that felt so uniform in previous hardware iterations. Controller pairing, which uses Kinect to determine who a player is, is another feature hardware accessories should be able to utilize. When playing with friends on the same couch, each of whom may prefer different control schemes, Kinect will seamlessly match the appropriate profile and controls to that player, mitigating the need to dive into the settings menu. We imagine this will be a big help when sharing a racing wheel with 80 buttons on it between a couch crowded with friends.
Forza 5's Top Gear content driven by The Stig's Digital Cousin
Top Gear's tame racing driver, The Stig, or rather his Digital Cousin, will feature as a CPU driver in Forza Motorsport 5, the BBC announced today. While details of Stig's involvement were slim, we do know that players will be able to race against it, and that it may even be beaten, unlike the real Stig. Hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are all in attendance as well (as we first learned during E3), though we know now that the three stooges will provide narration and commentary during the course of the game's career mode, which is segregated by "car genre." The announcement also confirms the return of Top Gear's Dunsfold Aerodome test track, which was showcased in Forza Motorsport 4.
Forza 5 developer unveils 17 new cars
To kick off its weekly Forza Motorsport 5 Showroom promotional effort, Turn 10 Studios has unveiled a swath of new rides. Some of these have been seen before, but today marks their official announcement as part of the game. The focus of this week's Showroom is on three sports cars that should be familiar to fans of virtual racing: the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X GSR, the 2009 Zonda Cinque Roadster and the 2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II. Turn 10 offers in-game screenshots and detailed descriptions of each of these rides at its official Forza 5 blog, so if you've somehow never driven these arguably commonplace cars in the virtual world, that would be a good place to hone your gearhead knowledge. The remaining 14 cars in today's reveal don't get the full description treatment, but are instead simply listed by name.
Play Xbox One early at a few Microsoft Stores
Microsoft's Major Nelson is embarking upon a tour of the United States and Canada, opening new Microsoft Stores and visiting existing ones in order to show off the Xbox One to the general public. Obviously we're too scared to go outside too cool for large groups, but if you live in Massachusetts, Florida or Alberta, you'll get the opportunity to play Forza 5 and Killer Instinct about a month ahead of launch. The first two events take place on September 19 and 20 at Microsoft Stores in Burlington and Boston MA, respectively. Nearly a month later, Nelson and his entourage pop into Orlando, FL on October 23 before heading up to Edmonton, Alberta on October 27. A fifth event is also planned for Scottsdale, AZ, although that won't take place until December 6. Nelson says that more locations/dates will be added to the list in the coming weeks – complete location information can be found here.
Free Forza 5 option for Xbox One 'Day One Edition' UK pre-orders
Several UK retailers are offering a choice between FIFA 14 or Forza Motorsport 5 when pre-ordering an Xbox One "Day One Edition" console, including Amazon UK, ShopTo and, with an oddly sold-out listing, GAME. Previously, all Xbox One "Day One Edition" pre-orders in Europe secured a copy of FIFA 14. The Xbox One will launch across 13 markets on November 22. It will be available in North America for $500, in Europe for €500 and in the UK for £430. The standard Xbox One console includes the Xbox One, improved Kinect sensor, a headset, one controller, plus the requisite HDMI cable, power supply and a Quick Start guide. The "Day One Edition" of Xbox One includes all of the standard gear, but swaps out the controller for a special branded "Day One" variant on top of special packaging, and a code for an exclusive achievement.
Forza Rewards program keeps your franchise career on track
That's right – we call playing multiple games in the same series a "career" now. It's a sensible term for Microsoft's Forza franchise, which now rewards players for their loyalty and unwavering quest to earn the glossiest models on the Nüburgring catwalk. The Forza Rewards program tracks your progress across multiple Forza Motorsport games, starting at Forza Motorsport 2 and extending to recent games like Forza 4 and Forza Horizon. In-game progress translates to a universal pool of points, which corresponds to several tiers of rewards that can take the form of in-game currency, tokens and cars (also in-game). You're welcome to compare your progress to other players as well, but we don't recommend obsessing over tier pressure in a game like this. If Forza's cross-game consistency sounds familiar, it's because of Microsoft's Halo Waypoint, a similar (though not as actively rewarding) program that spans the space-faring series. Just think of it as trading the lore for, umm, DeLoreans?
Forza 5 director on Day 1 download: 'It depends on what you define as finishing'
According to a previous report, to complete the career mode in Forza Motorsport 5 players will need a Day 1 download. That's based on prior comments made by Turn 10 Studios Creative Director Dan Greenawalt, who happens to be here at Gamescom. We are too, so we caught up with Greenawalt and asked him to clarify just how much players would miss out on without the Day 1 data. "What it comes down to, Forza Motorsport 4 came on two discs, right? So on Disc 1 did you have all the content? Were you able to finish the game?" Greenawalt asked, the answers to those questions being no and yes respectively. "Could you drive all the cars? No, you couldn't," he continued. "Could you drive all the tracks? No, because there were tracks that were Day 1 DLC on Forza 4. So when you say 'Do you have all the content?' - well no you don't, just like Disc 1 of Forza 4 did not, and if you had no internet connection for Forza 4 you didn't get all the content because tracks are downloaded in Forza 4. Could you finish the game? Well, you could get to Level 999, you could race a lot of cars." "So it depends on what you define as finishing. Are you defining it as I raced every track that I deserve because I don't have to pay for these? You're not [paying for these], because you [already] paid for it; if you download it, it's free. So [the reason] you're not playing all this stuff is because you didn't download it; the same thing as Forza 4. If you define finishing as you can level up, you can earn money, you can buy cars, and you can play for 400 hours, yeah, you can do all that." Greenawalt said he understands it's confusing, and until he actually announces the track list, it's not going to be as clear. Hopefully it will be crystal when the game arrives on retail shelves alongside the Xbox One, which will happen sometime in November.
