{"id":2228608,"date":"2026-10-30T14:16:41","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T11:16:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2228608"},"modified":"2026-10-30T14:16:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T11:16:41","slug":"forza-director-whod-been-with-turn-10-for-27-years-leaves-microsoft-following-studios-merger-with-playground-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2228608","title":{"rendered":"Forza director, who&#8217;d been with Turn 10 for 27 years leaves Microsoft, following studios merger with Playground Games"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/forza-motorsport-2023\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Forza Motorsport (2023)<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">Forza director, who&#8217;d been with Turn 10 for 27 years leaves Microsoft, following studios merger with Playground Games<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Driving into the sunset.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/forza-motorsport-2023-cars-on-track.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Multiple sports cars from Forza Motorsport 2023 arranged on a track.\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"forza-motorsport-2023-cars-on-track.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Xbox Game Studios<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Connor Makar avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/tAtwiaBo_400x400.jpg?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"374\" height=\"374\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Connor Makar avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"tAtwiaBo_400x400.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"374\" height=\"374\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/connor-makar\">Connor Makar<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Reporter<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\n<p>Published on   <time datetime=\"2026-10-30T14:16:41+00:00\" data-auto-time-zone=\"true\" data-year=\"numeric\" data-month=\"short\" data-day=\"numeric\" data-hour=\"numeric\" data-minute=\"numeric\">Oct. 30, 2026, 2:16 p.m.<\/time>\n              <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"header_actions\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"e5d24654-213f-4769-86cd-4eaad1538793\" data-name=\"Forza Motorsport (2023)\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Forza Motorsport (2023)\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Forza Motorsport (2023)\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Forza Motorsport (2023)\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Forza Motorsport (2023)\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Forza Motorsport (2023)\" title=\"Follow Forza Motorsport (2023)\"><br \/>\n  Follow Forza Motorsport (2023)<br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n  <a class=\"button outline wide preferred_source_button\" data-component=\"preferred-source-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=eurogamer.net\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"logo\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><br \/>\nPrioritise us on Google  <\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\" data-autopogo>\n<p>Dan Greenawalt, director, founder, and vice president at Turn 10 Games, has departed from the studio after spending 27 years as part of the company. This comes as Turn 10 is merged with Playground Games as part of Xbox&#8217;s mass restructuring initiative that made headlines as it resulted in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2026-double-fine-compulsion-ninja-theory\">3200 layoffs and four studio closures<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/tech\/1022023\/microsoft-exit-offer-layoffs-notepad\">In a report by The Verge<\/a>, an internal memo written by Playground Games studio head  Trevor Williams states: &#8220;Dan Greenawalt has decided that this is the right time for him to retire from Microsoft&#8221;.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"video_wrapper youtube\">\n<a aria-label=\"Forza Motorsport - Official Launch Trailer\" class=\"video-facade full-size\" data-platform=\"youtube\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/swrkhJue_Fg?autoplay=1\" title=\"Click to play video from YouTube\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cover image for YouTube video\" class=\"video-facade__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/swrkhJue_Fg\/hqdefault.jpg\"><span class=\"video-facade__title\">Forza Motorsport &#8211; Official Launch Trailer<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div><figcaption>Here&#8217;s a trailer for 2023&#8217;s Forza Motorsport.<a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=swrkhJue_Fg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The memo continues: &#8220;It&#8217;s hard to overstate Dan&#8217;s impact over the past 27 years. From shipping <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/project-gotham-racing\">Project Gotham Racing<\/a> on the original Xbox in 2001 to leading the creation of Forza, founding Turn 10 Studios and appearing so many times on our E3 stage, usually making a dramatic entrance with a supercar in tow \u2013 and so much more \u2013 we owe tremendous thanks and gratitude to Dan. On behalf of both teams, I would like to thank Dan for his leadership, his support, and his partnership. I wish him well for whatever comes next.&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/xbox-layoffs-activision-rare-halo-ninja-theory\">Xbox&#8217;s merger of Playground Games and Turn 10<\/a>, the developers will be working in collaboration on the Forza and Fable franchises. The final track racer game that Playground Games developed prior to this merger was 2023&#8217;s Forza Motorsport reboot, a wonderful racer that offered a sweet alternative to the more arcade <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/forza-horizon\">Forza Horizon<\/a> series. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/forza-motorsport-review\">In Eurogamer&#8217;s review<\/a>, the game was described as: &#8220;A generous and lavish racer, with thrilling driving, that wants you for the long haul.&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\" data-autopogo>\n<p>Dan Greenawalt, director, founder, and vice president at Turn 10 Games, has departed from the studio after spending 27 years as part of the company. This comes as Turn 10 is merged with Playground Games as part of Xbox&#8217;s mass restructuring initiative that made headlines as it resulted in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2026-double-fine-compulsion-ninja-theory\">3200 layoffs and four studio closures<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/tech\/1022023\/microsoft-exit-offer-layoffs-notepad\">In a report by The Verge<\/a>, an internal memo written by Playground Games studio head  Trevor Williams states: &#8220;Dan Greenawalt has decided that this is the right time for him to retire from Microsoft&#8221;.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<div class=\"video_wrapper youtube\">\n<a aria-label=\"Forza Motorsport - Official Launch Trailer\" class=\"video-facade full-size\" data-platform=\"youtube\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/swrkhJue_Fg?autoplay=1\" title=\"Click to play video from YouTube\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cover image for YouTube video\" class=\"video-facade__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/swrkhJue_Fg\/hqdefault.jpg\"><span class=\"video-facade__title\">Forza Motorsport &#8211; Official Launch Trailer<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div><figcaption>Here&#8217;s a trailer for 2023&#8217;s Forza Motorsport.<a class=\"video\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=swrkhJue_Fg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The memo continues: &#8220;It&#8217;s hard to overstate Dan&#8217;s impact over the past 27 years. From shipping <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/project-gotham-racing\">Project Gotham Racing<\/a> on the original Xbox in 2001 to leading the creation of Forza, founding Turn 10 Studios and appearing so many times on our E3 stage, usually making a dramatic entrance with a supercar in tow \u2013 and so much more \u2013 we owe tremendous thanks and gratitude to Dan. On behalf of both teams, I would like to thank Dan for his leadership, his support, and his partnership. I wish him well for whatever comes next.&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/xbox-layoffs-activision-rare-halo-ninja-theory\">Xbox&#8217;s merger of Playground Games and Turn 10<\/a>, the developers will be working in collaboration on the Forza and Fable franchises. The final track racer game that Playground Games developed prior to this merger was 2023&#8217;s Forza Motorsport reboot, a wonderful racer that offered a sweet alternative to the more arcade <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/forza-horizon\">Forza Horizon<\/a> series. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/forza-motorsport-review\">In Eurogamer&#8217;s review<\/a>, the game was described as: &#8220;A generous and lavish racer, with thrilling driving, that wants you for the long haul.&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Forza Motorsport (2023) Forza director, who&#8217;d been with Turn 10 for 27 years leaves Microsoft, following studios merger with Playground Games Driving into the sunset. Image credit: Xbox Game Studios News by Connor Makar Reporter Published on Oct. 30, 2026, 2:16 p.m. Follow Forza Motorsport (2023) Prioritise us on Google Dan Greenawalt, director, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-2228608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2228608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2228608"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2228608\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2228608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2228608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2228608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}