Forza 6 adds microtransactions two months after launch

With a response from Microsoft

One of the biggest criticisms of Forza Motorsport 5 was the career progression system and its over-reliance on microtransactions to advance at a reasonable rate. It was such a deal-breaker for some that Turn 10 reversed its ways and didn’t include them at all in Forza 6. The developer said that the only way they’d be added is if “players asked for them.”

Well, that apparently happened, as Forza Motorsport 6 has introduced a “Token” system over the weekend. Tokens can be bought for as little as 100 for $.99 or as much as 20,000 for $99.99. In a post on Forza‘s site, it’s said that this currency can be used to buy cars and mod packs.

It’s hard to imagine a scenario where players asked for microtransactions to be added into the mix. It’s much more plausible that Turn 10 waited to avoid taking heat from reviewers. Whatever the case, players who don’t want to see it don’t have to; the menus have an option to keep Tokens from appearing on the heads-up display.

Introducing microtransactions two months after launch is an unusual tactic. We reached out to Turn 10 to see if the developer will offer some insight as to why it waited so long, if and how players actually asked for this, and if this will affect the progression pace of Forza 6‘s career. This is the verbatim response we received:

“Forza Motorsport 6 was designed, tuned and play-tested from the ground up without Tokens. Now that we’ve confirmed that the game economy is balanced and fun for our players out in the wild, we are offering them as a matter of player choice. Some players appreciate using Tokens as a way of gaining immediate access to content that may take many hours to acquire in the normal course of play. There is also an option within the in-game menu to turn off Tokens entirely. We are dedicated to creating open-ended, evolving experiences that are built with and for our fans.”

A PR representative attributes this quote to “a Microsoft spokesperson.” It’s highly unlikely that anyone from Turn 10 offered their sentiment. Also, the quote largely ducks answering any of the questions asked, specifically whether fans actually asked for the inclusion of microtransactions and why a two-month wait took place. However, it was noted separately that nothing in terms of career progression has changed.

Forza Motorsport Week in Review 11-13-15 [Forza Motorsport]