The latest Xbox reset is bringing Fable, Forza Horizon, and Forza Motorsport under one studio.
Xbox is merging Playground Games and Turn 10 into a single studio focused on the Forza and Fable franchises as the company continues its wider first-party reset.
Xbox Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer Matt Booty announced the change in an Xbox Wire post on Tuesday (22 September), saying the company is reorganising its studios to reduce the number of business units, bring closely connected teams together, and focus its publishing expertise. The move puts the two long-time Forza developers into one team after more than a decade of working alongside each other.
Why are Playground Games and Turn 10 merging?
“Playground and Turn 10 will come together as one studio focused on the Forza and Fable franchises,” Booty said. “These two studios have been creative and franchise partners for over a decade, and today’s changes will formally move their work into one team.” Turn 10 created the Forza Motorsport series, while Playground Games has developed Forza Horizon since the spin-off debuted in 2012.
Playground's role at Xbox has since grown beyond the racing franchise. The studio released Forza Horizon 6 earlier this year and is also developing the Fable reboot, which is set to launch on 23 February 2027. The merger comes as Xbox makes a number of changes across its first-party studios, including putting Activision in charge of developing the next mainline Halo game.
What happens to Turn 10 after the Playground Games merger?
Xbox's announcement initially left one major question unanswered: what happens to Turn 10 as a standalone studio? In an update to its report, Kotaku said Xbox confirmed to the outlet that there will be no new studio name following the merger. Playground Games co-founder and studio head Trevor Williams will also continue to lead Playground. Xbox itself has not explicitly said that the Turn 10 name is being retired.
Turn 10 had already been significantly reduced before the merger. The studio was hit hard by Xbox's 2025 layoffs, with reports at the time saying much of the Forza Motorsport team had been cut while remaining staff continued supporting the Horizon franchise.
What happens to Forza Motorsport after the Turn 10 merger?
The merger also leaves Forza Motorsport in an uncertain position. The most recent entry launched in 2023, and Xbox has not announced another game in the series since. While Xbox says the combined studio will focus on the wider Forza and Fable franchises, it has not specifically confirmed whether Forza Motorsport is part of those plans.
