Forza 5 Converts Grandfather Who Called Xbox the 'Idiot Box'
A grandfather who once believed video games made people "stupid" is now an Xbox fan thanks to developer Playground Games' Forza Horizon 5. Playground and publisher Xbox Game Studios shipped the latest Forza Horizon entry on PC and Xbox in November 2021 to widespread acclaim. By year's end, the racing sim sat on many a Game of the Year list. The title won big at The Game Awards 2021, too, taking home three trophies in total - Best Sports/Racing Game, Best Audio Design, and Innovation in Accessibility.
Forza initially joined the racing game circuit in 2005 upon the release of Turn 10 Studios' Forza Motorsport. The Motorsport side of the series has since received half a dozen sequels, all geared towards the more professional-style racing. In 2012, the series split its focus, with Playground Games taking the wheel on a spinoff called Forza Horizon, which incorporated the brand's first open-world elements. It, too, has several follow-up installments under its belt, the most recent of which managed to convert an anti-gamer into a bonafide racing sim fan.
The latest wholesome video game news comes courtesy of Reddit user AfterShock_7582 (via Dexerto), whose grandfather is now hooked on Forza Horizon 5. Previously, the older gentleman believed the notion that gaming makes people "stupid," even going so far as to refer to the Xbox platform as the "Idiot Box." AfterShock_7582's brother convinced their grandfather to give Forza Horizon 5 a try, letting him steer a racing wheel and zip across the open road. Based on the brief clip featured in the Reddit post below, grandpa seems quite taken with the interactive simulation.
Forza Horizon 5 seems a good starting point for someone's introduction to the grand world of gaming, especially with a racing wheel setup in the mix. Of course, it's presently unknown whether or not the grandfather will give other video games a chance to impress him. But maybe the new Forza Horizon will serve as the first step of many to come.
Counted among the highest-rated 2021 games with a 92 percent Metacritic score, Forza Horizon 5 is considered one of the best racing titles on the market. Sony means to shake up things a bit in a couple of months, however, once Polyphony Digital's long-awaited Gran Turismo 7 finally hits store shelves for PS4 and PS5 in March.
Forza Horizon 5 is available to play now across the PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S platforms.
Source: AfterShock_7582/Reddit via Dexerto