Forza 5 developer could "make adjustments" to in-game economy

Forza Motorsport 5 developer Turn 10 has said that it has the ability to alter its in-game economy for the Xbox One exclusive following criticism that its economy is designed to encourage microtransactions.

Unlike previous games in the series, Forza Motorsport 5 does not offer players free cars as a reward for levelling up, with the only way to expand your garage coming from accruing in-game credits or buying car tokens with real money. Shacknews asked Turn 10 creative director Dan Greenawalt about what players who weren't looking to invest additional funds could expect from the game.

"The expectation is that different cars are more expensive and that makes them more rare. Because of the classification system, there is no 'top' to the production classes," he said.

Greenawalt added that Forza 5's in-game economy was based on skill and strategy. "Currently, we have some players earning lots of credits and some players earning not nearly as much. This is a skill- and strategy-based economy with rarity provided by in-game price, not locking mechanisms."

"Players can receive +65 percent payout for playing against the hardest skill level Drivatars, up to +50 percent bonus credit payouts for turning off the assists, and up to +35 percent payouts for sticking with a favorite manufacturer. That's +150 percent bonus based on skill and strategy."

"When you couple that with Drivatar rewards, UGC payouts, and Forza Rewards (our franchise-based loyalty rewards) there are plenty of ways to earn credits in Forza 5. However, the fact remains: racing, skill, and strategy are the engine of the economy."

"Of course, we continue to monitor the economy via customer feedback as well as in-game telemetry and we have the ability to make adjustments should it be warranted," Greenawalt concluded.

Microsoft studios VP Phil Spencer said the company was "still learning" from its experiences with microtransactions. "I want to be able to learn from what we put in," he said. "So let's make sure we are crafting the game and the analytics so we can see what the consumers--the gamers--like and don't--if you assume buying habits are a reflection of what people like. So that we can craft the experience better for the gamer."

For more information, check out GameSpot's Forza Motorsport 5 review.