One of Microsoft's most popular console exclusives is heading to the PC. A slimmed-down version of the latest entry in the Forza Motorsport franchise will arrive later this year, developer Turn 10 has revealed.
Forza Motorsport 6: Apex will feature 12 themed racing events and a collection of more than 60 vehicles to choose from (63, to be exact). There will also be a new objective system that'll challenge players to complete skill-based tasks in exchange for in-game currency.
Those familiar with Forza 6 are probably wondering why PC gamers are only getting a fraction of the more than 450 vehicles offered on the Xbox One version. It's simple: Apex will be a free-to-play game supplemented by optional microtransactions.
Before you go crying foul, note this. Design Director Andy Beaudoin told IGN that the game has been built from the beginning to the end not to be a microtransaction-driven game. In earlier Forza games, Turn 10 has given players the option to pay cash for vehicles rather than progress through the game and earn vehicles the "hard way." Microtransactions in Apex will be no different than what was offered in those games, Beaudoin conceded.
It's worth noting that "Drivatars" from the Xbox One version won't carry over to the PC variant. Furthermore, you'll need to know that Apex will be a Windows 10 exclusive. If you're a diehard Forza / driving / racing game fan that hasn't yet made the jump to Microsoft's latest OS, you've now got another yet reason to upgrade.
The fact that another Xbox exclusive is transitioning to the PC (as a Windows 10 exclusive, no less) shouldn't be glossed over. Earlier this month, it was revealed that Xbox One exclusive Quantum Break would also be coming to Windows 10 PCs.
What's more, there are at least a handful of other Xbox exclusives rumored to be making their way to the PC including Gears of War 4, Scalebound and the yet-to-be-announced Forza Horizon 3. Microsoft appears intent on blurring the lines between Xbox One and PC gaming even further, an initiative that can only be seen as a positive for consumers.
Back on the topic of Forza, Beaudoin said the move to PC is just the first step and acknowledged that the best way to learn how to make a game on a platform is to ship a game on it. That said, he noted that future Forza games will "absolutely" be developed concurrently for the Xbox and PC - confirmation that Apex isn't just a one-off experiment designed to try and lure PC games to its console.
Forza Motorsport 6: Apex races into the Windows 10 store this spring.
