Forza Motorsport Walks Back Controversial Car Upgrade System After Backlash

It’s been almost a week since the new Forza Motorsport hit virtual shelves and it’s safe to say that reception has been mixed at best. One aspect of the game that's been almost universally disliked is the Builder’s Cup single-player campaign. At launch, it required almost two hours of gameplay per individual car (not model—the actual car) to get any upgrades. After sizable community backlash, the Builder’s Cup is getting seriously walked back in Forza Motorsport update 1.0.

The Builder’s Cup campaign mode was supposed to be a key single-player mechanic of Forza Motorsport, encouraging players to commit to one car rather than swapping cars constantly. Parts would be unlocked at certain levels after obtaining Car XP, with the maximum level and best parts set at level 50. A run to level 50 would take an estimated two hours, and it would only apply to the specific car you’re racing, not all examples of the same car. For example, if you fully leveled up a Civic Type R in-game, you could only upgrade that specific Type R. To upgrade another, you would have to race it and level up all the same.

Turn 10’s update doesn’t change that particularly annoying part of the game, but does seriously reduce level requirements for upgrades. Now all upgrades are available at level 25 rather than 50, with specific upgrades like body kits, engine swaps, turbo kits, and tire compounds all getting unlocked significantly earlier. Tires in particular are now fully unlocked at level three instead of 11, and all wheels are now available at level one. Now, a single Builders Cup event should be good to fully upgrade a car.

The studio has been tight-lipped on community reception, only releasing a statement on the Forza website earlier this week that it has been "reading your feedback and listing to your concerns," reminding players that "Forza Motorsport has been designed to be a racing platform that will change and adapt over time." Besides the changes in Builder's Cup, the 1.0 update has a long list of bug fixes and stability improvements.

At the moment, it seems the studio is indeed listening to fans and reacting quickly. It’s not an enviable position to be in as custodian of one of the most beloved racing game franchises returning after a more than half-decade absence. But Turn 10 is trying its best.

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