Forza Motorsport developers testify to the game's stressful production process

Microsoft talked a lot about Forza Motorsport and the massive boost the game would bring to the series. Not only visually but also in terms of realism. So thank goodness fans' expectations were high when the game finally hit store shelves after more than six years of development.

Unfortunately, what quickly became clear was that things were not quite as rosy as promised. Several of the game's most vital elements were criticised and many of us were left scratching our heads and wondering what had actually gone wrong behind the scenes. How could Forza Motorsport fumble this way?

At least one developer has now revealed more about what is possibly one of the many reasons why the game was launched in a poor state. Something he blames in an interview on large amounts of stress, too little manpower and not least too many consultants.

The developers that Microsoft would hire on a contract basis—that is to say, for a fixed term without healthcare or benefits—could only work for a maximum of 18 months before being required to take six off.

He also goes on to explain how his employment came to a relatively abrupt end, and how this was a recurring problem at Turn 10. Not to mention how it negatively affected the internal dissemination of information about the game and the game engine.

Campos thought he was contracted for 18 months rather than a year, and all Microsoft was willing to do for him was extend his term by a few more months.

I feel bad for the coworkers I'm leaving behind. That's one extra hand they don't have. So much knowledge and niche things I found out about the game engine, gone, simply because I didn't have time to write down documentation, because I had to finish a track

You can listen to the full story in the clip below, and you can't help but marvel at how badly the whole project seems to have been handled.

Do you still play Forza Motorsport?