Forza Horizon 5: General Discussion

[Nacho Libre]

With the work they have done with the Evolving World and the outstanding work of many creators with the tools at hand (which keep growing) I sincerely hope that the next map won't be based on a single geographical location of the world, but instead act as an evolving hub of sorts where every type of activity (road and circuit, offroad, dirt/rally, drag, drift, Eliminator, etc) can be had in whatever setting can be imagined: Italian autostrada or German autobahn, Japanese touge racing, African savannah, Greek ruins, futuristic city, etc.

But if they go the traditional route, I think the US West Coast (California, Washington and Nevada) would have every type of urban/geographical/weather/road feature.

 

[Digolgrin]

The map China could offer would be fantastic too. From natural features to man made cities and structures it has it all. Not to mention the potential revenue from the Chinese consumer wanting to play Forza Horizon in their home country. Microsoft would be sitting on a goldmine if the Chinese Communist Party allowed the young to go online to play. However, there's still the large Chinese overseas market. I really would be very, very surprised if FH6 isn't based in China.

But still the little kid in me wants South Africa. It has great natural features and the cities and towns. It just has little to no car history and I wouldn't get my snowy season (see my previous posts). South Africa would just be a stunningly pretty location with great map potential.

To your point, mainland China is essentially the only other place on the planet with as diverse a climate set as Mexico. You've got the Taklamakan Desert in the north, the Kunlun and Himalayan mountains to the south, sprawling cityscapes to the east and wide open plains and occasional jungles everywhere else. For a live service game like FH5, this is important for map diversity, especially if you do what 5 did and give each festival outpost its own "domain" to rule over, so to speak.

South Africa might come close but it's nowhere near as potentially lucrative, as much as I would like it as well. Same with going back to the West Coast, you'd just be doing Mexico all over again.

 

[The_Greaser]

The map China could offer would be fantastic too. From natural features to man made cities and structures it has it all. Not to mention the potential revenue from the Chinese consumer wanting to play Forza Horizon in their home country. Microsoft would be sitting on a goldmine if the Chinese Communist Party allowed the young to go online to play. However, there's still the large Chinese overseas market. I really would be very, very surprised if FH6 isn't based in China.

But still the little kid in me wants South Africa. It has great natural features and the cities and towns. It just has little to no car history and I wouldn't get my snowy season (see my previous posts). South Africa would just be a stunningly pretty location with great map potential.

Again, I have no desire of ever wanting China as a location. Maybe I am very much biased because the country is barely known for anything except its history, mass production of cheap goods or its food, and much less for its cars, but I don't want it to gravitate to that location.

By comparison, I would want Scandinavia, as it should be an ideal proving ground for a wide variety of vegetation and terrain types. Who doesn't want to cruise around Lapland territories of Finland or take picturesque screenshots of Norway's fjords? I would - and so should everyone. Plus, the northern part of Europe is known for longer nights, and some nights not being dark at all (spend some time in Rovaniemi in the summer; you'll get the idea). While they don't have much of an automotive history, it should be quite a blast. Does anyone want an '80s Hilux?

 

[Digolgrin]

Again, I have no desire of ever wanting China as a location. Maybe I am very much biased because the country is barely known for anything except its history, mass production of cheap goods or its food, and much less for its cars, but I don't want it to gravitate to that location.

By comparison, I would want Scandinavia, as it should be an ideal proving ground for a wide variety of vegetation and terrain types. Who doesn't want to cruise around Lapland territories of Finland or take picturesque screenshots of Norway's fjords? I would - and so should everyone. Plus, the northern part of Europe is known for longer nights, and some nights not being dark at all (spend some time in Rovaniemi in the summer; you'll get the idea). While they don't have much of an automotive history, it should be quite a blast. Does anyone want an '80s Hilux?

I can see why most people wouldn't--I mean, we're talking about a multi-billion dollar corporation potentially choosing to set its one big open-world game in a country that's looking to sink its teeth into Western-style media in general. It would set the casual fanbase ablaze in ways I don't wish to post here, even though from a gameplay and map design perspective China should absolutely be high up on PG's list of settings for the next game.

But at the same time... would such a map even be that much better than Mexico? Perhaps Sweden or Norway would indeed be better fits, Nordic countries that they are.

 

[UKMikey]

But at the same time... would such a map even be that much better than Mexico? Perhaps Sweden or Norway would indeed be better fits, Nordic countries that they are.

They're pretty good at making music as well.

 

[VinylRichie]

The most sense for me as a gamer would make Japan or Scandinavia, as both are very different when it comes to their predecessors environment and culture, and both offer a great automotive history. Japan‘s is much richer for sure, but Scandinavia or let’s better say Sweden is also very interesting as Volvo and Saab haven’t been explored a lot (or at all in Saab‘s case), there could be a lot of new to Forza cars. But I’m not sure how the licensing situation with Saab is right now.
I mean it isn’t absolutely necessary to pick a region with a big automotive history, that has (or had) global players brands as FH5 shows with Mexico, but as we had a location like Mexico in the current iteration, I would wish them to explore a region with this kind of history next, that would be the most logical decision for me as a car guy.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Some of the highways in China are WILD, with massive bridges going across valleys in the mountains. The country may not have a so-called "car culture" but it's road network is constantly expanding and more and more people are able to buy cars. I know that China would be a controversial choice, but I'm not against the idea because it's never been done before. Of course the major problem with China is the lack of automotive history compared to Japan, however tapping into a brand new market could prove extremely beneficial for the juggernaut that is Forza Horizon. I don't think the CCP would turn down the economic gain.

 

[sirjim73]

They're pretty good at making music as well.

I knew you'd say that, knowing you aha.

 

[UKMikey]

I knew you'd say that, knowing you aha.

I think you mean "A-ha".

 

[Edax 76]

They're pretty good at making music as well.

No, no and thrice no to an Abba radio station though. I am not hooning off Danger Signs above Fjords to bloody Dancing Queen!!!

 

[UKMikey]

No, no and thrice no to an Abba radio station though. I am not hooning off Danger Signs above Fjords to bloody Dancing Queen!!!

You may not be Head Over Heels about the idea but I'm sure a lot of others will say "I Do (I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do)".

 

[Digolgrin]

Some of the highways in China are WILD, with massive bridges going across valleys in the mountains. The country may not have a so-called "car culture" but it's road network is constantly expanding and more and more people are able to buy cars. I know that China would be a controversial choice, but I'm not against the idea because it's never been done before. Of course the major problem with China is the lack of automotive history compared to Japan, however tapping into a brand new market could prove extremely beneficial for the juggernaut that is Forza Horizon. I don't think the CCP would turn down the economic gain.

And that's the other thing--Horizon would have the opportunity to help establish a Chinese car culture. They'd get to be there on the ground floor, which is something they couldn't do with Mexico or any prior setting. Hell, if you consider the Volkswagen Santana from the Lucky Stars car pack, there's the very real possibility of them somehow managing to find obscure car culture elements already present there. They've probably already completed their research of the area, all that'd be left is picking a suitable set of locales.

To me, PG has three or four realistic possibilities for FH6 settings. Of course there's China, but we've also been getting not-so-subtle hints in recent updates that they're looking into Japan, or at least one of the non-Honshu islands. They, too, would have a biome similar to Great Britain, just with more mountains. Possibility number three would likely be Norway or Sweden, simply because of Scandinavia's existing rally scene and the presence of Koenigsegg, but also would basically be Japan with more manageable plains and entertaining geography. Hell you could even make a very strong argument for Finland--on top of it having one of the most popular rounds of the WRC, it also has folk racing, which, while needlessly destructive by Horizon standards, does show a strong enough car culture to warrant a possible Horizon setting.

I think it's just that... China is the most attractive option PG could have, if we assume they'll want to leave the Americas and go somewhere with high biome diversity to facilitate a strong live service. If they pull it off, and pull it off well, FH6 could be to China what Gran Turismo is to Japan and beyond.

 

[skazz]

Chinese car companies are sprouting like mushrooms, car ownership is rising fast.

Car culture is still very much European Supercars for the rich, long wheel base sedans for company bosses, but we all know Chinese cars will start to impact more and more in the coming years. I mean, just look at Hyundai and KIA doing great and being in the mix of the Europeans for styling recently. Chinese car companies can just follow the same path as the Koreans, but will probably do it faster.

 

[Edax 76]

You may not be Head Over Heels about the idea but I'm sure a lot of others will say "I Do (I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do)".

I'll be sending a SOS if I do hear the station....

 

[CarbonDaimon]

...

 

[Digolgrin]

...

Oh jeez now I feel justified in uninstalling. Feels like I got out before the worst of the storm if this is the car they're teasing!

Edit: I've been bamboozled, dammit. Good livery, dude!

 

[CarbonDaimon]

 

[pez2k]

My opinion on all of the FH6 location speculation is that it doesn't really matter a ton where it's set, in terms of map diversity and car culture. The maps are a handful of national landmarks scattered into a totally made-up place which they can do anything with, and the full extent of Mexican car culture in FH5 is a single story where the same old Beetle model that's been around for years gets called a Vocho in dialogue. Eventually we got some mentions of the Baja and a Tsuru too, but 95% of the narratives and characters could be anywhere in the world, just with different accents.

To me, Japan is the obvious 'expected' setting as it was for 5, and China is another obvious pick with 5's introduction of their cars. I think the Finland suggestion earlier is fun, but I personally still want to see it set in Africa, because we need more games and other media set outside of western Europe, North America, and Japan. Let's see Kenya, or Thailand, or Estonia, or somewhere else interesting. Perhaps Horizon India would be a fun setting at some point too.

 

[Famine]

...

Could you provide any context whatsoever for this? Just a picture doesn't help anyone.

 

[Digolgrin]

My opinion on all of the FH6 location speculation is that it doesn't really matter a ton where it's set, in terms of map diversity and car culture. The maps are a handful of national landmarks scattered into a totally made-up place which they can do anything with, and the full extent of Mexican car culture in FH5 is a single story where the same old Beetle model that's been around for years gets called a Vocho in dialogue. Eventually we got some mentions of the Baja and a Tsuru too, but 95% of the narratives and characters could be anywhere in the world, just with different accents.

To me, Japan is the obvious 'expected' setting as it was for 5, and China is another obvious pick with 5's introduction of their cars. I think the Finland suggestion earlier is fun, but I personally still want to see it set in Africa, because we need more games and other media set outside of western Europe, North America, and Japan. Let's see Kenya, or Thailand, or Estonia, or somewhere else interesting. Perhaps Horizon India would be a fun setting at some point too.

My top four guesses, to put it bluntly, looks like this:
1) Japan (but it'd have to be Kyūshu or Hokkaido, not the main island of Honshu--hell, Okinawa would work just as well)
2) Mainland China
3) Finland/Scandinavia
4) South Korea

I think all the recent exciting JDM picks, like the Chaser, new WRX and the Evo III (and to a similar extent the GR Yaris), do point towards Japan as the new location, but just because we've also been getting returning and New-to-Horizon JDM cars doesn't mean we're guaranteed a Japanese setting--not to mention we haven't really had enough Chinese cars in-game to warrant that kind of intrigue anyway. Finland or Scandinavia would require the least amount of work to justify, and with Microsoft apparently striking up enough of a partnership with Hyundai's N division, there's now a valid case for Korea as a kind of compromise location between Japan and China. Granted we also have to consider Xbox's playerbase in those areas--I still think half the reason 5's set in Mexico is because of the overwhelming amount of support Xbox enjoys in Latin America--but you never know with PG.

 

[The_Greaser]

Chinese car companies are sprouting like mushrooms

Oh, like this crappy low-rate Taycan handoff called the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype?

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a62749121/xiaomi-su7-ultra-prototype-laps-nurburgring-nordschleife-in-6-46/

The link is paywalled though as you only get two free articles.

This is partly why I don't like Chinese cars. Most of them are built so poorly they will fail within the year.

 

[skazz]

Oh, like this crappy low-rate Taycan handoff called the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype?

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a62749121/xiaomi-su7-ultra-prototype-laps-nurburgring-nordschleife-in-6-46/

The link is paywalled though as you only get two free articles.

This is partly why I don't like Chinese cars. Most of them are built so poorly they will fail within the year.

Those same words could have been said of the Japanese and Taiwanese car industries at some points in the past, but look at them once they got past that phase. China is on track to get there very quickly, especially with the EV transition. I'm sure many companies like Xiaomi will be looking at EVs as an entry point into the car industry.

 

[sirjim73]

No, no and thrice no to an Abba radio station though. I am not hooning off Danger Signs above Fjords to bloody Dancing Queen!!!

You can drift, you can dri-ive, having the (Danger) Sign off your liiiiife....

 

[UKMikey]

You can drift, you can dri-ive, having the (Danger) Sign off your liiiiife....

That's the aim of the game. 🎵 Can ya feel it the way I dooooo? (Got a feeling you give me no choice) 🎶

 

[notsofast]

Looking forward to this on the weekend and seeing what we are facing for the next month. The track day thing could mean a number of things. Road cars that are popular for track days or even track focussed road cars or even track only cars. I fired up Forza Motorsport earlier and whilst waiting for it to load I saw the Cadillac LMdh and thought wouldnt that be cool to drive around Mexico?