Forza Horizon features in-game Kinect-activated GPS

In the upcoming open world Xbox 360-exclusive racing title, Forza Horizon from Playground Games, Kinect owners will be finding some new and useful technology to help them navigate the open road.

According to the developer, Forza Horizon will be implementing a brand new voice-activated (via Kinect) GPS system to help you navigate Forza's large open world. Rather than having to open up a map inside a menu as in games like Burnout Paradise, in Forza Horizon you can just ask Kinect to direct you to the next race.

All you have to do is say phrases like, "Where's my next race?" When your voice is registered, green arrows will point the way to the nearest race. It works for other things too, like finding the route to autoshows in the world and other destinations.

"We received two recurring feedback points while we were looking at this game," Playground Games' design director Ralph Fulton told us during our Forza Horizon preview this week at E3. "The first one is really simple, people said 'This world so big, I found it really easy to get lost.' The second is kind of related to that, people said 'Sometimes I forget where I'm going, or what I want to do next.'"

Voice-activated software in current generation games has been spotty up until recently, so we're cautiously optimistic about Playground Games' new plan to handle a sprawling environment.

Andrew Groen

Andrew is a freelance video game journalist, writing for sites like Wired and GamesRadar. Andrew has also written a book called EMPIRES OF EVE: A History of the Great Wars of EVE Online.