Forza Director Dan Greenawalt Departs Turn 10 After 27 Years Following Xbox Studio Merger with Playground Games

Dan Greenawalt, the long-serving director, founder, and vice president of Turn 10 Studios, has left Microsoft after 27 years with the company. His departure comes amid a major restructuring at Xbox, which saw Turn 10 merged with Playground Games, the UK-based studio behind the Forza Horizon series. The merger is part of a broader initiative by Microsoft to streamline its gaming division, a move that earlier this year resulted in 3,200 layoffs and the closure of four studios. Greenawalt was instrumental in creating the Forza Motorsport franchise, which has been a flagship racing title for Xbox since its debut in 2005. His exit marks the end of an era for Turn 10, as the studio now operates under a unified leadership with Playground Games. The consolidation reflects Microsoft's focus on efficiency and cross-studio collaboration, but it also raises questions about the future direction of the Forza series. Fans and industry observers will be watching closely to see how the combined team evolves the franchise.