Microsoft unveiled the latest edition of their DirectX technology at GDC this week. Microsoft demonstrated the power behind DirectX 12 by showing how easy it is to port a high fidelity console game like Forza Motorsport 5
over to PC. In the video you can watch as Forza runs at a pretty smooth 60 fps while being powered by a PC with an Nvidia GTX titan card.
Why should PC gamers be upset about all this? Forza 5 is not coming to PC. Why port a console exclusive game to PC that you’ll never release to the public? The Forza 5 DirectX 12 demo is just another in a long line of Microsoft’s recent blunders. It really makes you wonder why on earth they would show how possible this is while at the same time denying fans the chance to play it.
There’s a big reason racing games tend to debut around the same time as the console launches, racing games are console sellers. Gran Turismo is largely responsible for Sony’s success with PS2 and PS3. The GT series is so influential in fact that it was credited with bringing the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution to the United States. The Forza Motorsport series as well is a huge console seller for Microsoft. While it’s pretty clear that Microsoft has a working copy of Forza 5 ported to PC it may just be a fancied up tech demo and not the full game itself. A quick check at the sales charts for the Xbox One suggest Forza 5 is Microsoft’s 3rd best selling game (at time of writing). It’s also important to note that Forza 5 is the only next-gen racing simulator available on either the PS4 or Xbox One. Microsoft has sent a clear message that if you are a racing sim fan you need to buy an Xbox One.
Obviously Microsoft stands to lose more than they gain by porting a popular console exclusive to PC. The more you think about it the more it just sounds insane. Why on earth would Microsoft port Forza 5 to PC just to show off that they can? It just comes across like a big kick in the teeth for fans of the series that won’t be buying an Xbox One. Microsoft has earned a lot of mistrust in the eyes of gamers in the past year. This stunt at GDC should serve as an example to other developers of how to create bad blood with people who weren’t likely to be your customer. You don’t see Apple showing off how easily their iPhone could run the more powerful Android OS. Square Enix went to great lengths to show fans what a Final Fantasy VII port for PS3 would look like. The end result was fan disappointment when the port never materialized. Microsoft should have never shown off Forza 5 on PC. Fans know now that it’s a thing that could happen easily, and we want what we can never have.
Shame on you Microsoft for teasing me with the game that I want to play but never will because the entrance fee is just too steep to justify for one game.
If you’ve given up on that dream of playing a Turn 10 game on PC, you can grab a copy of Forza Motorsport 5 for Xbox One
on Amazon.com.
