Forza Horizon 4 Update 9 will fix wall riding, add custom adventure

Forza Horizon 4 (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Ever since launch, Forza Horizon 4 has seen regular content updates in the form of weekly seasonal challenges and larger monthly updates.

We're now round to Update 9 which is due to launch this week and it's got some really great stuff in it for players. Let's dig into what we're going to get.

New cars - Apollo IE and Mini

The most desirable new car being added to the game in Update 9 is the Apollo IE, a striking supercar that will be the reward for completing the Spring trial.

There will be lots for Mini fans too, with a whole bunch of Mini content coming in May to get your hands on through the Festival Playlist. The standout car is the Mini JCW buggy, a Dakar rally style vehicle better suited to the dunes at Bamburgh or a cross country slog than street racing.

You'll also be able to earn some pretty sweet cars through the Festival Playlist like the Morris Traveller and the new and exclusive Mini Countryman.

Custom Adventure finally here

Custom Adventure has been teased before but as of Update 9 is finally releasing. It's found in the regular multiplayer area of the game, but allows you to set parameters for an online adventure.

You can choose the series, car class, whether you have collisions on or off and, perhaps best of all, whether or not you want to play Freeroam Rush. Car classes are limited at first, but Playground Games will be watching and could tweak this in the future.

The multiplayer modes in Forza Horizon 4 are a lot of fun but not everyone enjoys getting smashed around the circuits. Or in my case, hates playing Freeroam Rush. Custom Adventure allows you to build an online multiplayer session that better suits your preferences.

Custom Adventure won't be applied to ranked play.

Bye bye wall riding

If you've been getting unfair advantages in races by exploiting "wall riding" then there's bad news in store. As of Update 9, wall riding will be penalized thanks to a new system being implemented in online multiplayer.

The new system will kick in to prevent obvious advantages from going far too fast into a corner and using the wall to keep the momentum going. The only surface is doesn't apply to is trees.

If you're deemed to be trying to wall ride you'll now get a slowdown penalty and be ghosted so as not to interfere with other players. If you're pushed into the wall by another player you won't suffer the penalty, though.

Additionally, if you're going far too fast into a corner, either to wall ride or to deliberately ram another player, you should now be ghosted so you don't hit anyone else. Then you'll get a slow down penalty. The message is pretty clear: Play properly, or be penalized.

New Horizon Story in Festival Playlist

Update 9 brings another new Horizon Story into the mix, and this time around its part of the monthly Festival Playlist. Getting stars in the story will go towards your completion, and additionally, it's another business that will generate daily credits to add to your balance.

It introduces a new character, a German auto engineer, and is based on the super glamorous world of car insurance. It's surely a lot more fun than the subject matter would suggest, and if you can complete it with all 30 stars you can unlock a special reward in the shape of a crash test dummy outfit.

No expansion two talk yet

Something that Forza Horizon 4 fans are eagerly awaiting is the next proper expansion pack. Fortune Island has been around for a few months now and while it gets weekly seasonal challenges of its own to keep popping fresh content our way, there's no denying the hunger for the next proper adventure.

We're at the point now where many are expecting that expansion two would be coming soon. But if it is, Playground Games isn't ready to talk about it just yet. So the waiting continues.

Update 9 is due to launch this week, most likely by May 8 before the next weekly season change.