In 2014, the Xbox gaming platform faced several challenges, including the departure of key executive Don Mattrick and a strategic focus on television-like features, which led to the inclusion of a Kinect camera that made the console more expensive than its competitor, the PS4. At the time, Forza Motorsport 5 was criticized for its underdeveloped gameplay and overreliance on in-game purchases. Phil Spencer had recently taken over as head of the Xbox division, and it was in this environment that Playground Games, a studio based in Leamington Spa, began developing Forza Horizon 2. The team at Playground Games included experienced developers from studios such as Bizarre Creations, Criterion, Black Rock, and Codemasters, who had previously worked on racing and action games like Project Gotham Racing, Blur, Burnout, Split/Second, DiRT, and GRID. Forza Horizon 2 was first released for the Xbox 360 and later adapted for the Xbox One. The game aimed to transform the rigid physics engine used by Turn 10, the studio behind the Forza series, into a more flexible, open-world environment. This was a challenging task, given that the Xbox One’s hardware was still being refined. At the time, Microsoft viewed Playground Games as a secondary studio, but the game's success changed that perception. Critics praised Forza Horizon 2 for its technical quality and gameplay, offering a more open and flexible experience compared to the more structured Forza Motorsport titles. Forza Horizon 2 featured dynamic weather systems and an impressive soundtrack, with contributions from music labels such as Hospital Records and Bass Arena. Despite the Xbox One's technical limitations, the game was noted for its smooth performance and lack of loading times. The game's setting included real-world regions like Provence in France and Tuscany in Italy, allowing players to drive high-performance vehicles through scenic landscapes. The success of Forza Horizon 2 led to a shift in Microsoft's internal priorities, with Playground Games becoming the main developer for the Forza franchise, while Turn 10 was repositioned as a provider of technical tools and engines. The game's impact also led to Microsoft acquiring Playground Games in 2018 and giving them the responsibility of reviving the Fable franchise. Recent developments suggest that Playground Games has fully integrated Turn 10 into its operations, combining their expertise to continue developing the Forza series and other projects.