Dan Greenawalt, the studio head of Turn 10 Studios and a co-creator of the Forza franchise, is planning to retire from Microsoft after nearly 27 years with the company. The departure marks the end of an era for one of the most recognizable names in Xbox gaming.
According to The Verge, which first reported the news, Greenawalt has decided that this is the right time for him to leave. The report cites an internal memo from Trevor Williams, who leads Playground Games, confirming the decision. Williams stated that Greenawalt will remain with the company temporarily as an adviser during a changeover period to help manage the transition.
A 27-Year Legacy at Microsoft
Greenawalt’s career at Microsoft spans from the early days of the original Xbox to the current generation of consoles. His impact on the company’s racing portfolio is extensive. He shipped Project Gotham Racing on the original Xbox in 2001, a title that helped establish Microsoft’s presence in the racing genre before the launch of Forza.
He later founded Turn 10 Studios and led the creation of the Forza Motorsport series. Over the years, he became a familiar face at industry events, particularly at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). He frequently appeared on stage during Microsoft’s presentations, often making dramatic entrances accompanied by supercars.
Trevor Williams expressed gratitude for Greenawalt’s contributions in the internal memo. “It’s hard to overstate Dan’s impact over the past 27 years,” Williams wrote. He thanked Greenawalt for his leadership, support, and partnership, adding, “I wish him well for whatever comes next.”
Restructuring Turn 10 and Playground Games
Greenawalt’s retirement coincides with a major reorganization within Microsoft’s gaming division. In September, Microsoft announced plans to merge Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games into a single entity. This consolidation is part of a broader restructuring effort that also includes merging Obsidian Entertainment into Bethesda and transferring the Halo franchise to Activision.
The restructure will also result in the layoff of 268 employees. The merger of the two Forza studios follows a period of significant change for Turn 10. Following the 2023 reboot of Forza Motorsport, Turn 10 was repositioned as a support studio for Playground’s open-world Forza Horizon series. This shift came after previous rounds of cuts at Microsoft affected the development of the Motorsport series.
Greenawalt’s departure leaves a significant leadership gap at Turn 10, a studio he helped build from the ground up. His role as an adviser during the transition will likely focus on ensuring stability as the two studios combine operations. The future direction of the Forza brand under the new unified structure remains to be defined by the remaining leadership teams.
Source: PC Gamer
