How Forza Horizon took on Japan with deep research – and 360-degree cameras

Forza Horizon, an open-world driving simulation game, is expanding to Japan after the developer spent years researching the country to ensure authenticity. The team faces a unique challenge because gamers worldwide have strong expectations about what Japan should look like in games, shaped by decades of stylized portrayals in other video games, so the developers must balance accurate recreation with matching these ingrained mental images.