--- title: "The Man Who Built Forza Is Leaving Xbox After 27 Years" date: "2026-10-29" modified: "2026-10-29" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/the-man-who-built-forza-is-leaving-xbox-after-27-years" categories: - "Culture" - "News" --- # The Man Who Built Forza Is Leaving Xbox After 27 Years ![Dan Greenawalt presents Forza Motorsport 5 on stage at E3 2013.]() *Dan Greenawalt presents Forza Motorsport 5 on stage at E3 2013. \Robyn Beck/AFP\* The man who architected the *Forza* franchise, Dan Greenawalt, is reportedly leaving Microsoft after nearly 30 years at the company. This comes weeks after a massive restructuring across the tech giant's Xbox gaming division that has effectively folded Seattle's Turn 10 Studios, the longtime keeper of the [now-defunct *Forza Motorsport*]() series, [into Playground Games']() U.K.-based operation. Trevor Williams, who helms Playground, the developer behind *[Forza Horizon]()*, addressed the news to staff. "It's hard to overstate Dan’s impact over the past 27 years," Williams' memo, seen by *[The Verge]()*, reads. "From shipping Project Gotham Racing on the original XBOX in 2001 to leading the creation of Forza, founding Turn 10 Studios and appearing so many times on our E3 stage, usually making a dramatic entrance with a supercar in tow—and so much more—we owe tremendous thanks and gratitude to Dan. On behalf of both teams, I would like to thank Dan for his leadership, his support, and his partnership. I wish him well for whatever comes next." Greenawalt will supposedly remain an advisor to Playground for some length of time "while he transitions to his next phase," in Williams' words. While Greenawalt did not personally shape *Forza Horizon*, he did direct the first four *Motorsport* games—considered by most fans to be the series' most dominant era—before moving into a broader Creative Director role. ![]() *Greenawalt would often present new Forza titles on stage at E3 joined by whatever car was on the cover of that year's Forza game, as he did here in 2017 for Forza Motorsport 7. *Robyn Beck/AFP** The first *Horizon*, which released in 2012, established a formula that Playground Games would perfect in subsequent releases, to massive critical and commercial acclaim. But it never would've been possible without the technical foundation and massive store of content that *Horizon* was able to lift from the Greenawalt's *Motorsport* titles. *Horizon* had a running start, if you will, to meld the previously highly distinct genres of open-world arcade racing and sim racing, and *Motorsport* was why. More than a decade earlier, Greenawalt got his start at Microsoft as a test engineer for Xbox's launch-era, pre-*Forza* racing software, namely *Midtown Madness*, *RalliSport Challenge*, and *Project Gotham Racing*. These were fantastic games (what I would give for a new *RalliSport* or *PGR* today!) that paved the way for Microsoft to take a big swing at Sony's *Gran Turismo* years later, which practically invented the driving sim "car-PG" genre. So many competitors, from Sega to Capcom to Konami and others, tried to take *GT* on and fell short, at least where sales were concerned. *Forza Motorsport* was the one that stuck and arguably took the lead in the Xbox 360's heyday. *Forza* let you do what *GT* refused to at the time—bang up your vehicles, swap engines, fit aftermarket exterior parts, and paint liveries—and *then* let you share your creations with the world, online. Sony didn't catch up for a generation. And Dan Greenawalt, who often talked about a desire to turn gamers into car enthusiasts and vice versa, had the vision. *Got a news tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() ## More - [Money No Object, Which Race Track Would You Rent for a Day?]() - [This Couple and Their Pair of Nissan 300ZXs Make an Unforgettable Wedding Photo]() - [Mopar Built an Electric Plymouth GTX Restomod With Less Power Than Stock]() - [Indy 500’s ‘Paper Boy,’ a Speedway Legend, Has Died at 71]() - [Did You Know Racing Legend Carroll Shelby Helped Found Chili’s?]() - [Yes, Someone Really Made a Dodge Challenger Limousine With Quad Gullwing Doors]() - [Buy This Tan 1991 Acura Legend With a Manual, Become an Acura Legend in Your Neighborhood]() - [Some Rich Guy Is Flipping His 1,035-HP McLaren Speedtail for Nearly $5M]()