Skip to main content

Forza Horizon 3 will require some serious horsepower, but comes with a special guest

Forza Horizon 3 Features Warthog
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Publisher Microsoft Studios revealed the PC specs required to run the latest entry in the Forza series, but first let’s talk about the Warthog in the room.

Yep, the Master Chief’s signature ride is hitting the track in Forza Horizon 3, or rather a specially customized “civilian” variant tuned for off-road racing. According to Microsoft Studios, the 2254 AMG Transport Dynamics M12S Warthog CST boasts a twin turbo V8 and more than 70 cm of suspension travel and advanced damping for unrivaled power and stability as you race across the Australian outback.

Recommended Videos

The Warthog will be available at launch for anyone who has played either Halo 5: Guardians or Halo: the Master Chief Collection on Xbox One. Download codes will be sent out, oddly enough, via an Xbox Live message starting the week of September 5. Players who haven’t played either of the aforementioned Halo titles will have a chance to win a code for the Warthog during an upcoming “Forzathon” event in October.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

But, none of that matters if you can’t run the game right? In addition to the announcement of the Warthog, Microsoft Studios revealed the PC specs today.

To run Forza Horizon 3 in full 1080p, you’ll need 12 GB of RAM, an Intel Core i7-3820 CPU running at 3.6 GHz, alongside a GPU with at least 4GB of VRAM. Microsoft Studios recommends either an Nvidia GTX 970, Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU, AMD R9 290X or AMD RX 480. Oh, and 55 GB of space and an updated version of Windows 10 64-bit.

So, you’ll need some serious horsepower under the hood to make the most of the latest Forza, no surprises there given the series’ track record.

Microsoft Studios also unveiled the full list of achievements for Forza Horizon 3, which you can peruse on the official site here.

Forza Horizon 3 for Xbox One and PC will hit store shelves worldwide on September 27, while customers who pre-ordered the “Ultimate Edition” will get access four days earlier on September 23.

Jayce Wagner
Former Digital Trends Contributor
A staff writer for the Computing section, Jayce covers a little bit of everything -- hardware, gaming, and occasionally VR.
Forza Horizon 5 is getting sign language support tomorrow
A car following the racing line as it changes color around a corner in Forza Horizon 5.

Microsoft's previously promised sign language support for Forza Horizon 5 is about to arrive in a huge step forward for accessibility in games. The Xbox giant partnered with Forza developer Playground Games and the Deaf and hard of hearing community to create video subtitles for players.

The free updates arrives March 1 and includes American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) support for over 300 in-game cinematics. While accessibility options and resources have become more common in AAA games in recent years, sign language support is still very rare.

Read more
The top 10 best racing games on PC
A sports car at dusk in Forza Horizon 5.

Racing games come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Most of them put you behind the wheel of today's most popular supercars, but there are plenty of others that throw you onto motorcycles, snowboards, or even into the driver's seat of beloved childrens' toys. Whether you're looking for the best street racing sim or the most entertaining arcade racer on the market, these ten games are sure to fit the bill.

While this list of best racing games on PC isn't all-encompassing, it does cover most sub-genres and should provide a variety of playstyles for every type of player. They've all been highly rated by fans and critics alike, so you can rest assured you're diving into a game that's more than worthy of your time.

Read more
Forza Horizon 5 Beginner’s Guide: 11 Tips To Get You Started
A sports car at dusk in Forza Horizon 5.

Forza Horizon 5 is a stunning game. With its brilliant gameplay and detailed visuals, we called Forza Horizon 5 “the definitive racing game of the new console cycle” in our review. There is a lot you can do, and it can seem intimidating at first. That’s why we’ve put together this beginner’s guide to Forza Horizon 5.

Further reading

Read more