Sadly, we'll be saying goodbye to Playground Games' Forza Horizon 4 in December. The game will be delisted from digital stores on December 15, so if you don't already own this well-received racing game, you'd better get it. The game will be discontinued as soon as it is gone.

The developer has stated that it has had to withdraw the game due to "licensing agreements and agreements with partners." Racing games are complicated by contracts and agreements that allow developers to add officially licensed cars. When these agreements expire, game developers and publishers lose the right to make money on the likeness of their cars. As if the car agreements alone are not complicated enough, racing games also have soundtracks, which typically feature plenty of licensed music.

This is disappointing news for game preservationists who already dislike the fickle nature of digital game stores, but not too surprising; Forza Horizon 3 was delisted in 2020 due to similar licensing issues.

Even though the game is ending, Playground Games has announced that the final series will begin on July 25 and end on August 22. After that date, players will no longer be able to access the playlist screen. However, the "Forza Events" screen will remain available, and daily and weekly challenges for earning Forzathon points will be launched.

Forza Horizon 4 DLC will no longer be available in stores starting today. Only the Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate editions of the game will be available for purchase between now and December 15. Once acquired, the DLC will continue to be playable and can be re-downloaded; all online and multiplayer features will continue to be available, as in Forza Horizon 3. If you prefer a physical copy of the game, those will continue to work as well.

Despite being over six years old, "Forza Horizon 4" is still a solid game. If you haven't tried it yet, it's worth buying now while you can. If you care about preserving the game, it may be worth owning a copy so that you can play it after it is no longer available.