Forza Horizon 2 was released more than ten years ago and represented a major step forward in Playground Games’ series. Now, a rare video has surfaced showing a preliminary version of the game still under development, with many elements clearly unfinished.
The video had been buried somewhere on the internet and recently reappeared on YouTube for everyone to see. For those who know the final game well, it may not seem too impressive, but it’s still an interesting historical document that offers a glimpse into the making of such an important title.
Although it was the second entry in the series, Forza Horizon 2 was the game that truly introduced the open-world driving experience to Playground Games. The first Forza Horizon did not yet have such an open structure.
The Early Open-World Design Process
Given the historical significance of Forza Horizon 2 as one of the first open-world racing games—with a large, explorable map and a remarkable level of detail—it’s fascinating to see how it was built.
The video provides a few hints: it shows a version still deep in development, with wide areas of the map missing textures and scenery, and certain parts still being created from basic tracks and environmental elements.
It also appears to be the Xbox 360 version, which at the time was being developed by Sumo Digital in parallel with the Xbox One version created by Playground Games.
It’s interesting to notice the similarities with the first Forza Horizon, as well as the features that would later define the series’ open-world identity on Xbox.
