Shelby

Horizon Festival: The game centers around the Horizon Festival, a music and motorsports event. Players progress by ranking up, earning points towards wristbands that unlock higher tiers of competition. Rival challenges, known as Star Showdowns, offer a chance to win signature cars and cash.

Race Events: To advance, players must complete Festival Events and Showcase races to increase their popularity. Ranking up unlocks new events and challenges.

Sponsor Challenges: These are stunt challenges offered by sponsors, with ten ranks to complete, rewarding players with bonus credits.

PR Stunts: These promotional events, found at Horizon Outposts, offer discounts on fast travel and include photo shoots, speed traps, and skill chain stunts.

Location: The game is set in Colorado, USA, featuring a day/night cycle, AI traffic, and other racers. Players can engage in street races and visit Horizon Outposts.

Collectables: Players can find up to nine barn finds and over one hundred discount signs scattered throughout the map.

Music: The game features three radio stations curated by Rob da Bank: Horizon Bass Arena (dance), Horizon Pulse (indie), and Horizon Rocks (rock).

Vehicles: Forza Horizon includes over 200 cars, each customizable with performance upgrades and paint jobs, though tuning setups are absent.