Turn 10 Studios
Turn 10 Studios is a first-party Microsoft game studio in Redmond, Washington, founded in 2001, that creates the Forza racing franchise. It develops the Forza Motorsport simulation series and co-develops the Forza Horizon open-world series with Playground Games, published via Xbox Game Studios across console, PC, and subscription channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersRedmond, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Turn 10 Studios does
Turn 10 Studios is a first-party game development studio wholly owned by Microsoft Corporation, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and founded in 2001. The studio is the creator of the Forza franchise and operates two product lines: the Forza Motorsport simulation series (developed internally) and the Forza Horizon open-world arcade series (developed in partnership with Playground Games in Leamington Spa, UK). Turn 10 employs 101-250 people and has shipped major titles roughly every 2-3 years, with Forza Horizon 6 launching on May 19, 2026 across Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5.
Turn 10's technology stack centers on proprietary game engine, physics, and rendering systems. Notable technical components include the Forza Race Regulations (FRR) neural network for adjudicating multiplayer racing collisions (currently 89% accuracy, targeting 95-99%) and Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD), a cloud-based shader pre-compilation system that reduced shader load times by 95% (from ~90 seconds to 4 seconds on standard Windows 11 hardware). Forza Horizon 6 features over 550 real-world vehicles and a map 5X larger than its predecessor, set in Japan with stylized versions of Tokyo, Mount Fuji, and Hokkaido. Distribution spans Microsoft Store, Xbox Store, Steam, PlayStation Store, and Xbox Game Pass, with day-one availability on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
The studio's business model combines one-time game purchases ($69 standard, premium editions with early access) with subscription distribution through Xbox Game Pass. It is published by Xbox Game Studios and operates without independent external funding as a wholly-owned Microsoft subsidiary. Turn 10 faced 2025 layoffs as part of Microsoft's broader restructuring, announced the end of new content development for Forza Motorsport, and has consolidated development focus on the Forza Horizon franchise. Its customer base is global and B2C — millions of individual console and PC racing game enthusiasts — served through standard digital storefronts and Microsoft's subscription ecosystem.
Turn 10 Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Turn 10 Studios
- Legal name
- Turn 10 Studios
- Website
- http://www.forzamotorsport.net/en-us/turn10
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Turn 10 Studios is a first-party Microsoft game studio in Redmond, Washington, founded in 2001, that creates the Forza racing franchise. It develops the Forza Motorsport simulation series and co-develops the Forza Horizon open-world series with Playground Games, published via Xbox Game Studios across console, PC, and subscription channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Turn 10 Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Racing Video Games
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (51321)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports/Racing Game Studios (MPAFAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- AAA & Premium Game Studios (PC/Console) (MPAFAAAA)
Keywords
Where Turn 10 Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Redmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Turn 10 Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Game Sales: Traditional game sales at $69 price point for standard edition, with premium editions offering early access at additional cost
- Game Pass Subscription: Games available day-one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, generating revenue through subscription rather than individual purchase
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | One-time purchase | Standard Edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | One-time purchase | Premium Edition with Early Access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Game Pass Subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Turn 10 Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Turn 10 Studios develops and publishes premium racing video games under the Forza brand, including the open-world arcade-style Forza Horizon series and the simulation-focused Forza Motorsport series. The studio's games are sold as digital purchases and distributed via subscription through Xbox Game Pass across Xbox, PC, PlayStation, and Steam platforms.
Product overview
Turn 10 Studios develops a portfolio of racing games under the Forza brand, including two distinct franchises: Forza Horizon (open-world arcade racing developed in partnership with Playground Games) and Forza Motorsport (simulation racing). Forza Horizon 6, set in Japan, is the latest open-world title featuring over 550 cars and the largest map in series history. Forza Horizon 5 is set in Mexico with ongoing content updates. Forza Motorsport offers a simulation experience with Builders Cup Career Mode, over 500 cars, 30 tracks, and advanced physics. Both franchises are published by Xbox Game Studios and are available across Xbox, PC, PlayStation, and Steam platforms, with select titles available day-one on Xbox Game Pass.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Forza Horizon 6 Open-world racing game set in Japan featuring Tokyo streets, mountain touge roads, and Mount Fuji. The largest Horizon map to date with over 550 real-world cars, extensive customization options, and multiple racing disciplines including street racing and drifting. Available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5.
- Forza Horizon 5 Open-world racing game set in Mexico featuring diverse landscapes from green hills to sandy beaches. Includes over 40 content updates with hundreds of new cars, races, and features. Features EventLab toolset, enhanced Photo Mode, Hide & Seek, and Horizon Realms. Available on Xbox, PlayStation, PC, and Steam.
- Forza Motorsport Simulation racing game featuring Builders Cup Career Mode, adjudicated Featured Multiplayer events, over 500 cars across 30 world-famous tracks with cutting edge AI, advanced physics, tire and fuel strategy, and driver and safety ratings. Includes 20th Anniversary Tour, Open Track Day, Drift Meetups, Car Proximity Radar, and Drift mode.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% reduction in shader loading times (from 90 seconds to 4 seconds) using Advanced Shader Delivery technology
Companies that use Turn 10 Studios
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Turn 10 Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability3 records
Feature2 records
Turn 10 Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Playground GamescorePlayground Games, located in Leamington Spa, UK, serves as the primary developer of Forza Horizon 6 with support from Turn 10 Studios. The partnership has produced multiple successful Forza Horizon titles, with Playground Games handling the open-world Horizon series while Turn 10 manages the simulation-focused Forza Motorsport franchise.
- Xbox Game StudioscoreXbox Game Studios serves as the publisher for Turn 10 Studios' games, including Forza Horizon 6 and Forza Motorsport. The relationship provides access to Xbox Game Pass, Xbox marketing channels, and Microsoft ecosystem integration.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Turn 10 Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Codemasters: EA-owned developer of the F1 and DiRT rally franchises. Highly comparable as a specialist racing studio producing simulation-grade driving titles with deep car/track rosters, targeting overlapping console and PC racing audiences.
- Kunos Simulazioni: Italian developer of the Assetto Corsa franchise, a leading PC simulation-racing title with modding ecosystem. Comparable in simulation-grade physics and enthusiast PC audience, though smaller and PC-led.
- Slightly Mad Studios: Developer of the Project CARS series, a console/PC simulation-racing franchise. Comparable as a mid-sized independent racing studio producing simulation-grade driving titles for the same enthusiast audience as Forza.
- Milestone S.r.l. Italian developer specializing in two-wheel and four-wheel racing franchises (MotoGP, MXGP, Hot Wheels Unleashed). Comparable as a specialist racing studio with deep licensed-vehicle content and console/PC publishing.
- Criterion Games: EA-owned developer historically behind Need for Speed titles and Burnout. Comparable as a major-publisher racing studio focused on driving experiences for console, now part of EA's broader racing portfolio.
- Polyphony Digital: Sony-owned creator of the Gran Turismo franchise, the primary direct competitor to Forza in the racing simulation category. Closely comparable in product (car simulation), target audience (console racing enthusiasts), and business model (AAA premium titles on proprietary platform).
- Playground Games: UK-based co-developer of the Forza Horizon series under Xbox Game Studios. Most directly comparable studio in scope, technology stack, and franchise focus, operating as Turn 10's sister studio within Microsoft's first-party organization.
Broad incumbents
- Bandai Namco Studios (Ridge Racer): Japanese publisher/developer historically behind the Ridge Racer franchise and various racing titles. Comparable as a multi-platform racing publisher, though now broader in scope than pure racing development.
- Ubisoft (The Crew studio): Developer of The Crew series, an open-world driving franchise published by Ubisoft. Comparable in open-world racing category and console/PC multi-platform distribution, though operating within a much larger publisher portfolio.
- EA (Electronic Arts): Owns Need for Speed, F1, WRC, and Burnout franchises via Criterion and Codemasters. Comparable as a broad incumbent publisher operating multiple racing franchises on console/PC platforms competing for the same enthusiast audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Turn 10 Studios social profiles
Digital presenceTurn 10 Studios compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Turn 10 Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Turn 10 Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Turn 10 Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Turn 10 Studios M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Turn 10 Studios
What does Turn 10 Studios do?
Turn 10 Studios develops and publishes premium racing video games under the Forza brand, including the open-world arcade-style Forza Horizon series and the simulation-focused Forza Motorsport series. The studio's games are sold as digital purchases and distributed via subscription through Xbox Game Pass across Xbox, PC, PlayStation, and Steam platforms.
Is Turn 10 Studios a public or private company?
Turn 10 Studios is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Turn 10 Studios founded?
Turn 10 Studios was founded in 2001. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Turn 10 Studios based?
Turn 10 Studios is headquartered in Redmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does Turn 10 Studios make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are game Pass Subscription.
Who are Turn 10 Studios's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Codemasters, Kunos Simulazioni, Slightly Mad Studios, Milestone S.r.l., Criterion Games, Polyphony Digital and Playground Games. Broad incumbents are Bandai Namco Studios (Ridge Racer), Ubisoft (The Crew studio) and EA (Electronic Arts).
Does Turn 10 Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Turn 10 Studios.
What industry is Turn 10 Studios in?
Turn 10 Studios's product category is Racing Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAJ, Sports/Racing Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFAAAA, AAA & Premium Game Studios (PC/Console). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.