Skip to main content

Turn 10 Studios bans Confederate flag in Forza Motorsport, Forza Horizon games

Microsoft’s Turn 10 Studios released new enforcement guidelines for the Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon games, which include a ban on the Confederate flag and other so-called “notorious iconography.”

Recommended Videos

Some Forza players customize their vehicles with a decal of the Confederate flag to recreate the General Lee, the 1969 Dodge Charger from the TV series The Dukes of Hazzard. However, with the new guidelines, it looks like the days of the car in Forza games are over.

https://t.co/ISmRTzdihe pic.twitter.com/ueljc3F3xT

— Forza Support (@forza_support) June 26, 2020

The Black Lives Matter movement, which escalated after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, has also raised awareness against racist iconography. In the video game industry, many developers and publishers have shown support for the movement and have taken a stand against racism in their own ways.

In Turn 10 Studios’ new Forza enforcement guidelines, other symbols categorized as notorious iconography include swastikas, SS-runes, the Wolfsangel, the Black Sun, the Arrow Cross, the Iron Cross (with contextual clues), and the Rising Sun.

Players who use these symbols will be banned from the game, though it is unclear if it will be a temporary suspension or a permanent ban right away. Digital Trends has reached out to Microsoft to clarify the severity of the punishment for players who still try to customize their Forza vehicle with a Confederate flag.

The latest entry in the series is Forza Horizon 4, released in 2018 for the Xbox One and PC. It is widely expected that Forza Motorsport 8 will be the next game in the franchise, to launch on the upcoming Xbox Series X.

Electronic Arts’ EA Sports recently launched similar measures against racism, particularly in its NHL titles, where racism has been rampant on the customizable team names and player names. EA Sports’ NHL team will deliver harsher penalties and strengthen its profanity filters, among a few other measures.

Aaron Mamiit
Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…
How to revive dead companions in Baldur’s Gate 3
Withers offering services to the player in Baldur's Gate 3.

You're given a good bit of leeway during battles in Baldur's Gate 3 before you or a companion actually bites the dust for good. While in battle, if a teammate does take enough damage to drop, they aren't dead then and there. Instead, they will be downed with a chance to roll every turn to get back up. If they roll successfully three times, the battle ends, or you use another character to pick them up, they're good. If they fail that roll three times, however, they will be completely dead. That can be harsh when you've become attached to certain characters and want to further their stories, so you'll be looking for any way you can to bring them back. Thankfully you do have a few options for reviving companions in Baldur's Gate 3, but just like respeccing, they aren't so obvious.
Pay Withers to bring them back

Withers is a friendly undead you can find in a secret room in the Dank Crypt found inside the Overgrown Ruins. After finding and speaking to him in his sarcophagus, he will offer you various services, one of which is bringing back any dead companions. He won't do this out of the kindness of his heart (probably because it isn't beating) and will charge you a heavy fine of 200 gold to do so. Still, that's a small price to pay to bring back a beloved character. Once paid, that character will appear in your camp where they would normally be, so there's no need to go back to their corpse and find them.
Use a scroll of Revivfy or learn it

Read more
Every video game delay that has happened in 2023 so far
The player skates toward the moon in Skate Story.

Few things feel as inevitable in the video game industry as delays. Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, game delays have only become more and more common as developers find previously set timelines unrealistic and adjust their release plans accordingly. More than halfway through 2023, we've already seen some notable AAA games like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Skull & Bones, and Pragmata delayed pretty heavily. Because video game release date delays are so common, it can be tough to keep track of every game that has had its launch date shifted in some way.
That's why, just as we did in 2021 and 2022, Digital Trends is rounding up every game delay that's announced throughout 2023. Here are the high-profile ones that have happened so far, listed chronologically by their new intended release dates.
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR (March 16)

As Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is one of the best games for PlayStation VR, The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR, Supermassive Games' PlayStation VR2 successor, is a highly anticipated launch title for the upcoming VR headset. Unfortunately, it will no longer make PlayStation VR2's February 22 launch and will instead be released on March 16. On Twitter, a message from Supermassive Games says this delay will ensure that players "receive the most polished, terrifying experience possible" at release. The game was released on that date to mixed reviews.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (March 24)

Read more
Is Remnant 2 cross-platform?
Three characters shoot at a boss in Remnant 2.

Aside from the focus on firearms and integrating some randomly generated environments, the Remnant series sets itself apart from other souls-like games mainly with its focus on co-op. Both titles encourage you to team up with two friends to fight your way through the mutated monsters that await. After so many years of progress in terms of multiplatform games incorporating full cross-platform support, you might assume Remnant 2 will follow suit and let you make a group with anyone regardless of what platform they're on. However, the truth may be a bit more disappointing. Before you make plans with your squad, here's what you need to know about Remnant 2's cross-platform support.
Is Remnant 2 cross-platform?

Unfortunately, Remnant 2 does not have cross-platform play between PS5, Xbox Series X or PC -- and there's no word about it being added in the future.

Read more