It was love at first sight. Upon entering the venue for the Xbox Spring Showcase she was the first thing I saw – an absolutely drop dead gorgeous Porsche 918 Spyder. An obvious hint to what a later announcement would confirm – Forza 6 is getting a full helping of Porsche in the form of a new expansion. Of course, I couldn’t drive it – or even touch it for that matter, but I did have the opportunity to ride in an impressive $80,000 custom simulator designed to replicate the feel of driving – and in my case wrecking – all the beautiful cars Forza 6 has to offer.
The setup featured a triple Xbox One setup outputting to three televisions that made for an already immersive experience. To make it even better, a DBox chair, complete with a full steering wheel and pedal setup, made for what I dare say is the ultimate racing experience – without of course driving the car for real.
Feeling every shift, brake, and the feeling of adrenaline pump through your body as you accelerate is an unforgettable experience, and with practice I could probably clock some respectable lap times. Despite all the coaching I got before my race (which you can watch above), I still managed to scrape several walls and even crash the 918 Spyder dead square into a concrete barrier - which left me physically and mentally scarred. Unlike crashing while playing with your controller, crashing in the simulator felt like a real crash - albeit a toned down version - but you definitely don't walk away from it the same person you came in as.
In fact, after taking the simulator for a go twice, I can’t say that I would take advantage of an opportunity to drive one for real, even if such a chance miraculously came along. It was remarkably convincing, terrifying, and ultimately heartbreaking to feel a supercar crash into a cement wall with your whole body. Though the setup was entirely custom – which means it will most likely never make its way to your living room or man cave – it highlights the kind of stops and crazy attention to detail the Turn10 team puts into their games to give them that realistic touch.
The Forza 6 Porsche Expansion will add more than 20 models, as well as a new campaign designed to allow players live though the legacy of the famous German manufacture. Additionally, the campaign is narrated by some some of the most famous Porsche drivers like Patrick Long, Hurley Haywood, and more. It is available today in the Xbox store for $19.99. While you won't be able to experience these cars in the simulator above, it's great to see Porsche making a comeback to Forza.
7 Comments - Add comment