‘Forza Horizon 4’ Falls Victim To Expired Licensing And Will Be Delisted From Digital Storefronts

Nikola Pajtic |

Dec 13, 2024

A jet races an Aston Martin in Forza Horizon 4 (2018), Playground Games

December 15, 2024 will be one of the saddest days in the history of Xbox, right up there next to Xbox 360 Marketplace closure day, as Forza Horizon 4 gets delisted from digital storefronts. The news about one of the best Xbox console exclusives was confirmed back in June, and it’s all due to expiring licenses.

Hoonigan Porsche 911 and Nissan street racing in *Forza Horizon 4* (2018), Playground Games

In the official blog post on the Forza website, Playground Games shared the news with the fans of the game: “Due to licensing and agreements with our partners, Forza Horizon 4 will be delisted from digital platforms (Microsoft Store and Steam) on December 15, 2024. This means the game and its additional content will no longer be available for purchase through online stores.”

While Playground Games didn’t specify which licenses are expiring, it is safe to say it is related to the game’s music and car manufacturers. To keep these licenses active can become too costly, particularly with newer entries like Forza Horizon 5 still actively supported.

Fortunately, it’s not all bad news. Forza Horizon 4 will remain playable for those who already own the game or get it before December 15. However, new digital purchases or access through Xbox Game Pass will no longer be possible after that. This is not the first time a Forza Horizon game has been delisted for the same reasons.

A silver Corvette takes the lead in *Forza Horizon 5* (2021), Playground Games

For those unfamiliar with the franchise, the games are spin-offs to the Xbox exclusive Forza Motorsport, which is Microsoft’s answer to Sony’s Gran Turismo games.

Developed by Playground Games, Forza Horizon games take players to different parts of the world. The first Forza Horizon game was set in Colorado USA, the second game, released in 2014, was set in Southern France and Northern Italy, then Forza Horizon 3 (2016) moved all the way to Australia, while Forza Horizon 4 took place in Great Britain. The latest installment, Forza Horizon 5, came out in 2021 and brought the franchise to Mexico.

That said, delisting is nothing new to the industry. In addition to racing games, many sports games suffer the same fate due to expired licenses with teams. Although the Forza Horizon 4 delisting is a crushing blow for fans, the latest game in the storied legacy is still getting updates three years after the release.