Key Highlights:
- Forza Motorsport Update 3 releasing on December 14th 2023 across Xbox and PC
- Adds iconic Hockenheim circuit with multiple track layouts
- 33 new driver customisation suits unlocking at certain levels
- Five more cars for Car Pass holders over December and January
- Contemporary and British Marques Tour Career events
- Multiplayer gets fresh Lotus, Formula 70s, GTP/C, and Miata series
- Numerous stability fixes plus improvements for PC players
Full Patch Notes
| Feature/Issue | Description |
|---|---|
| General Fixes and Improvements | |
| Driver Level Reset | Fixed issue where the Driver Level visually appeared to reset to Level 1 after downloading Update 2 and entering Test Drive in Free Play. |
| Drafting Rebalance | Rebalanced the impact on front and rear downforce when being drafted by another car. |
| Custom Wheel Input Reset | |
| Builders Cup Reward Cars | Fixed issue allowing players to sell their Builders Cup reward cars, preventing them from reobtaining the cars and completing their associated Reward Showcases. |
| PC-Specific Improvements | |
| Stability and Performance | Improved stability and performance on lower spec PCs. |
| Multiplayer Crashes | Fixed various random crashes in multiplayer races, specifically on PCs with AMD GPUs. |
| Invisible Objects Bug | Reduced the occurrence of a bug where the track or other objects become invisible while racing. |
| Accessibility Features | |
| Screen Narrator Options | Introduced new options in the Screen Narrator section of the Accessibility settings menu to narrate your race position and driver names ahead and behind you. |
The next major content update for Forza Motorsport arrives early next week on December 14th, introducing the legendary Hockenheim circuit and addressing some lingering issues on both Xbox and PC. Update 3 continues Turn 10 Studios’ post-launch support for the November racing sim release, adding new cars, customisation gear, Career events, and multiplayer playlists.
Hockenheim’s Debut
Easily the most recognisable addition in Update 3 is Germany’s Hockenheimring. The Baden-Württemberg track is revered for contrasting long straightaways against a torturous snaking stadium section. Players can take on three distinct circuit layouts: Full (2.8 miles), National (2.3 miles), and Short (1.6 miles).
Beyond setting lap times in Free Play or Time Trials, Hockenheim also features prominently as the site of a one-make Mercedes-AMG ONE event within December’s Rivals competition. The high-tech hybrid hypercar seems purpose-built to dominate the track’s lengthy straight passing zones.
Career Menu Refresh
The Career mode gets two new multi-race Tour events centered around contemporary hypercars and British luxury marques. Series feature the likes of Pininfarina’s Battista EV, the Ferrari 296 GTB, McLaren Sabre, and Aston Martin Valkyrie. The harder you push these exotic modern machines, the bigger the rewards.
Open Tour also updates with fresh challenges focused specifically on legendary UK brands like Jaguar, Lotus, and Mini. No matter your favourite rides, there’s new single-player content worth exploring.
Ongoing Quality Improvements
While the sightseeing is nice, Update 3 has practical purpose too. Turn 10 continues working to squash bugs and upgrade fundamental areas. Many racers struggle with stability even on beefy hardware, but the studio claims CPU and GPU optimisations to facilitate smoother performance. Long load times get attention as well.
One welcome fix stops custom control presets from resetting between sessions when players switch between controller and wheel. It’s a small quality of life change that should resonate amongst the simulation crowd. Individual platform patch notes arrive alongside the imminent update for added transparency.
Plenty To Look Forward To
With the headlining Hockenheim circuit, two Career additions, and Rivals event, Forza Motorsport Update 3 provides compelling reasons to revisit the virtual track. And continued fixes suggest Turn 10 remains focused on shoring up weaknesses holding the title back from realising its full potential.
Update 4 already looms on the horizon for mid-January too, so the drip feed of fresh vehicles and content carries on into 2024. Provided development stays on course, the simulator can still become a genre leader after its uneven head start. Bagging a couple of Game Awards, and beating Gran Turismo 7 in the process proves that this racer is the best in the business at present.