Given the number of driving games I’ve covered and often talk about on this site, I don’t think it would surprise you that one of the first (of many) games I played on Xbox Game Pass was Forza Horizon 4. To put it clearly, it was oddly special seeing a little bit of Scotland in a game. Too often we’re in exotic locales, not something as pedestrian as the Royal Mile; Made up by Castlehill, going down the High Street, past Parliament, and down to Holyrood (not depicted); Calton Hill, Princes Street, and Arthur’s Seat. It was also the first Forza game I’d played, and I liked it even though you couldn’t kill tourists. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to try more.

It turns out, I might want to be quick, since although you can play a majority of the games solo, they are partly a live service. I know, I find that to be a dirty word in my mouth too, I’m surprised I even liked the game at all during my time that I played it. Though, with a live service, there is a “life span” to these games that lasts about as long as it takes for you to remember what Battleborne was. When was the last time you thought of that mess? That’s my point. Once they are switched off, a piece of gaming history (no matter how bad) is killed in the process.

Forza Horizon 3 is headed towards "End of Life" status, and we're celebrating the Australian festival with a sale on the Standard and Ultimate Editions! Visit https://t.co/2IZtzgkotM for all the details! pic.twitter.com/fM7HugVtCh

— Forza Horizon (@ForzaHorizon) August 11, 2020

The announcement came yesterday out of the blue, that the third in the Forza Horizon series will be de-listed from the Microsoft store on September 27th. You now have just over 40-days to take 4x4s through the rather exaggerated and shrunken depiction of the Australian Outback. Expecting the online elements online would be absurd, but that’s what is confusing about this decision to delist such a title. As noted by the Forza Horizon Twitter account itself, “However, features like multiplayer and online services will still be accessible for those that own the game.” Then why delist it?

At this point that raises the question of, how long will online support last? If you’re de-listing it, are you moving the game to a smaller server? If so, why keep it going? There are more questions I want to be answered with this announcement than are being given. Speculation seems to be that the de-listing is a result of music, car, and other licenses bought for the game. So let’s point out the outlier in a situation like this, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, a game with an inferior soundtrack now than in 2004. If these license expirations are more focused on the cars, I’d see more of a reason to, but music could, all the same, be patched out the game.

Either way, both the standard edition of Forza Horizon 3 and Ultimate Edition are on sale until the de-listing on September 27th. The standard edition is priced at $9.89 (£6.59, AU$13.18, or 9.89€), while the Ultimate Edition is priced at $20.99 (£17.99, AU$32.98, or 23.99€).

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