forza

Here's what we know about Xbox One games

The wait is over. Microsoft's new console is called the Xbox One, and it will be a machine that will wear many hats. But what did we learn about the games?

First off, Microsoft tells CNET that the Xbox One will not be backward compatible with any previous Xbox game. Xbox One games will also need to be fully installed, and if the install disc is used on another console, there will be a small fee for doing so. We don't have a lot of the details beyond that, but fears of anti-used-game tactics have officially been realized. … Read more

What kind of game is Forza Horizon for Xbox 360? (hands-on)

What is Forza Horizon? This question has had me scratching my head since Turn 10 debuted the teaser trailer for its new racing game for the Xbox 360 console way back in March. Now that I've gotten hands-on time with the title, I have a better idea of what it is and what it's not.

Forza Horizon is an open-world racing game that blends free driving with a variety of on-track events. Turn 10 and Playground Games have created a massive, fictional version of Colorado that players can just drive around in. There are country roads, freeways, canyons, … Read more

Fanatec CSR racing combo for Xbox 360 (hands- and feet-on)

I've previously confessed to being a fan of Fanatec's series of racing wheels, I even use its original Porsche 911 Turbo styled wheel, pedal, and shifter combo as my daily digital driver when piloting the virtual cars 'round the tracks of my racing sim du jour.

But my now-discontinued Fanatec kit sits at the bottom of manufacturer's line of racing peripherals and leaves much to be desired.The plasticy buttons on the wheel's face feel cheap with vague tactile feedback; the pedals, while accurate throughout their travel, are too light and mushy for furious racing; and the H-pattern shifter's poorly defined gates have cost me more races than I can count. Most of these issues have been addressed with subsequent versions of Fanatec's Porsche wheels and at the core of this kit is a fantastically accurate 900-degree racing wheel with strong force feedback, great sensitivity, and the ability to be customized on-the-fly to the user's needs. I always wondered, what would happen if you took that awesome core steering wheel hardware and upgraded the components and build materials?

This is the point in our story where the Fanatec Forza Motorsport CSR wheel and shifter kit and CSR Elite pedal set landed at my desk. These components aim to address each of the issues that I have with my current setup.… Read more

Look for $99 Kinect, other Xbox deals for Black Friday

The Kinect motion-control camera peripheral for the Xbox 360 will be available for $99 during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period, according to Microsoft.

The discounted Kinect (it's usually $149) will be available from "participating retailers" from November 24 through November 28. Microsoft pointed us towards a few other deals on Xbox hardware and games as well, which include:

Kinect from $99 (regularly $149) Three-month Xbox Live Gold subscription for $12.99 (regularly $24) Gears of War 3 for $39 (regularly $59) Forza Motorsport 4 for $39 (regularly $59) Dance Central 2 for $29 (regularly $49) Kinect Sports 2 for $29 (regularly $49) Xbox 360 consoles ($199 - $399) discounted by $50 to $100 (from November 24 through November 26 only)… Read more

Forza Motorsport 4: Complexity meets accessibility

It's one of the last mutually exclusive genres left in gaming. PlayStation owners have Gran Turismo and Xbox 360 loyalists have Forza Motorsport. Both franchises are proven winners, and the latest incarnation on Xbox 360 allows Kinect users the chance to race controller free. But does that ambition steer Forza away from what it does best?

Jeff:Forza Motorsport 4 packs in such a shocking amount of content and detail, most racing buffs will salivate just at the introduction movie. Sure, it can be a bit overwhelming for people who don't have transmission fluid running through their veins, … Read more

Car Tech Live 236: Tesla lets us look at the Model S (podcast)

Wayne gets a ride in Tesla's newest electric car, BMW comes up with a new hybrid, Antuan races in Forza Motorsport 4, and Hyundai preps a mad Veloster for SEMA.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 236 SHOW NOTES

• Tesla Model S Beta 1: A glimpse of the future from the passenger seat

• Kia plans to introduce small EV by year end

• BMW unveils the 5-series hybrid

• Forza Motorsport 4 is a digital playground for car lovers (hands-on)

• Nissan building Juke-R super crossover*

Forza Motorsport 4 is a digital playground for car lovers (hands-on)

I'm a huge fan of cars and a huge fan of video games. So it should go without saying that I spend a lot of time playing racing games. I was a bit late to the Forza Motorsport party, having spent a number of years as a faithful fan of the Gran Turismo franchise. However, last year I got hooked on Forza Motorsport 3 for the Xbox 360. Recently, I was slipped an early copy of Forza Motorsport 4, the next iteration of Turn 10's racing series promising more cars, more tracks, higher levels of realism, and, hopefully, … Read more

Drivers are an 'Endangered Species' in latest Forza Motorsport 4 trailer

Turn 10 Studios has produced a live-action trailer for the upcoming Forza Motorsport 4 racing sim for Xbox 360, and it is officially the saddest thing I've seen this week.

Now, I don't mean "sad" as in poorly made. The trailer, titled "Endangered Species," is beautifully produced. It's narrated by Jeremy Clarkson, from the show "Top Gear"; the action follows an enthusiast's escape from a carpool and into an Aston Martin DB9 sports coupe and his subsequent attempts to outrun all those things that suck the joy out of driving. … Read more

Turn 10 shows how real tracks are re-created for Forza Motorsport 4

Turn 10 Studios, developer of the Forza Motorsport series, has released a behind-the-scenes video of the step-by-step process that goes into translating a real-world racetrack into a fully digital track that players can experience in the upcoming Forza Motorsport 4 for Xbox 360.

It all starts with a visit to the track, in this case Hockenheim in Germany. Here, Turn 10's guys snap thousands of photos, record video of multiple laps from multiple angles, and collect sub-centimeter-accurate military-grade GPS data for the layout, elevation, and camber of the track. Next, the developers take the collected data and feed it … Read more