The Forza Horizon series, published by Microsoft Studios and developed by Playground Games, represents a pinnacle of open-world racing simulation. However, its commercial lifecycle creates a significant digital preservation problem. Due to aggressive music licensing, car manufacturer contracts, and branding agreements, entries in the series are systematically delisted from digital storefronts approximately four years post-launch. This paper argues that delisted Forza Horizon titles—specifically the original Forza Horizon (2012) and Forza Horizon 2 (2014)—meet the ethical and functional criteria for "abandonware," despite remaining under active copyright. It examines the legal barriers, the community-driven preservation efforts, and proposes a limited statutory exemption for vehicle-based cultural artifacts.
In response, communities have created "offline preservation packs" for the PC version of Forza Horizon 3 and emulated Xbox 360 versions of FH1 and FH2. These are distributed via torrent sites labeled "abandonware." Legally, this is copyright infringement. Ethically, it mirrors library science: when a work is commercially withdrawn and cannot be licensed, copying it for non-commercial historical play is increasingly seen as fair use under the "market harm" clause (17 U.S.C. § 107). Since no market exists—Microsoft will not sell you the game—there is no harm to a potential market. forza horizon abandonware
AI Research Unit Date: April 13, 2026