Forza Horizon 4 to Be Delisted From Digital Storefronts, Xbox Game Pass in December

gadgets.ndtv.com:

In yet another setback for game preservation, Forza Horizon 4, the open-world racing title from Playground Games, is set to be delisted from digital storefronts. The Microsoft-owned studio announced Tuesday that the game would no longer be available for purchase on Steam and Microsoft Store starting December 15, 2024. The move comes only six years after Forza Horizon 4 was released in October 2018.

Developer Playground Games, a part of Xbox Game Studios, said the game was being removed from online stores owing to licensing and agreements with its partners. From December 15, players won't be able to buy all versions of the game — Standard, Deluxe and Ultimate — and its additional content digitally.

In addition to Steam and Microsoft Store, Forza Horizon 4 will also be removed from Xbox Game Pass. Players who currently have access to the racing title via Game Pass will no longer be able to play the game once its digital presence is removed.

However, players who already own the game and its additional content, digitally or through a physical copy, will be able to download or install and access all offline, online, and multiplayer features. Playground Games confirmed the game's servers will remain online even after the delisting.

While the base game will be removed from storefronts later this year, its DLC has already met its fate. All downloadable content has been delisted from online stores from June 25. Players who already own the game's DLC can download the content and play it normally. Those who access Forza Horizon 4 via Xbox Game Pass and have purchased any DLC in the past, will receive a free game token for Forza Horizon 4 Standard Edition starting June 25. This, however, only applies to players who have a full-paid active Game Pass subscription on June 25. These Game Tokens will be sent via the Xbox Message Center and, if unused, will expire on June 25, 2026.

Ahead of the game's delisting, Playground is also bringing a few changes to the online Festival