Forza Motorsport 4 chases petrolheads

Microsoft is on the hunt for car nuts with its revved up marketing campaign for Forza Motorsport 4.

The Xbox 360 exclusive racing game – out October 14th – will receive the biggest ad drive in the franchise’s history.

Creatives will be running in motorsport magazines, on TV and on gaming websites, while the game will be promoted at London’s Westfield shopping centre one week before release. Online, fans will be able to vote for certain car parts to be used to build a real supercar, which will then be up for grabs as a prize.

It’s part of a bid to ensure the game is a hit with games players and petrolheads.

Our marketing campaign is the largest we’ve ever undertaken for Forza,” Microsoft’s director of Xbox and Entertainment Stephen McGill told MCV.

We’ll be present not just in the games arena, but we’re closely aligning ourselves to key motorsport publications to ensure Forza is the de facto racing game for petrolheads everywhere.”

Forza 4 will also feature the Top Gear track in-game and voiceovers from Jeremy Clarkson, as well as a Kinect-compatible driving mode and Autovista mode where players can use the camera accessory to inspect cars. It’s also compatible with the new wireless Xbox 360 Speed Wheel.

McGill added: Forza has become a beacon franchise for the growing roster of titles that are exclusive to our format. Developers Turn 10 have worked tirelessly and painstakingly on making this the best-looking game of this generation.

Finally, there is the small matter of Top Gear. We’re extremely proud to partner with such a prestigious motorsport brand.”