Forza 5 is unlike other launch titles, isn't just a graphics showcase, insists Greenawalt

Forza Motorsport 5 carries on the tradition of marketable console launch titles, but Turn10's Dan Greenawalt reckons its much more than that, given its ambition and scope.

Speaking with OXM, Greenawalt said, "The first thing I want to impress upon you guys is that this is by far the most ambitious thing that the studio has ever done. If you think about the launch of a console, they usually have racing games - great racing games.

"Racing games are great for the launch of a console. You don't have chainsaws, knives and blood and guts and all that, so you can put them on a Happy Meal at McDonalds and promote the product. And on top of it they usually have great graphics engines."

He added that simply because the game is marketable and poised to launch the Xbox One in November, it is by no means a rush-job day-one title or stop-gap until the truly impressive next-gen games appear.

"What you don't usually see at the launch of a console is a racing game like Forza Motorsport," he continued. "Usually the flagship titles come along a bit later, because with these titles you expect epic scope and scale - you expect innovation.

"Racing gamers demand innovation across all of the different fronts, and usually the racing games at launch are fantastic, but they're a bit narrower in scope. It allows them to be very laser-focussed on just hitting that date, and being a graphics showcase. This is a Forza Motorsport. This is big. So we've got innovation across the board."

What do you make of Forza 5 so far? Is it going to be all flash and no substance? Let us know below.