According to The Verge editor Tom Warren, Greenawalt was involved in the creation of Project Gotham Racing for the original Xbox, and later led the development of Forza Motorsport and the growth of Turn 10. Trevor Williams, head of Playground Games, informed employees of his departure. During the transition period, Greenawalt will remain his advisor and will assist the new Chief Operating Officer Michel Bastien.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has merged Turn 10 and Playground Games under the unified name Playground Games. The studio now has two offices, in Leamington and Redmond. The Turn 10 name, which for over 20 years was responsible for Gran Turismo’s rival, is effectively disappearing.
At the same time, Forza Horizon turned out to be more popular than Motorsport thanks to its open world and car festivals. It seems Microsoft intends to focus resources specifically on this series.