To be honest, all the characters with distinct personalities in the Forza series have been only in the Forza Horizon series; apart from Badass Driver M. Rossi, all the characters in Forza Motorsport don't really have any distinct characterization. Thus, for the sake of consistency, we will only cover the characters of the Forza Horizon games, including the Player of those games.
With the exception of the Player, all characters are listed based on their debut games.
Player
The Player Character of the entire Forza Horizon series.
- Badass Boast: In Horizon 5: Rally Adventure, despite their Nice Guy tendencies, they will make plenty of these while in the lead when facing off against the three team leaders in both their individual races and the DLC's version of the Goliath.Three versus one isn't fair... for you.
- Experienced Protagonist: In Horizon 5, since they're the same person as the player from Horizon 4. While Mexico is completely foreign to them, they still know how to drive very well.
- Hello, [Insert Name Here]: Horizon 3 allows the real-life player to select from a large list of both real names and nicknames, to which characters and ANNA will refer to them as, Fallout 4 style. If the real player entered their real name to their Xbox Live profile or tied in their Facebook account to it, or played a previous entry, then the game will automatically select their real given name for them.
- Nice Guy: Pretty much their established personality, especially in Forza Horizon 5. They're just a racer who loves driving and wants everyone to enjoy themselves at the Horizon Festival for the love of cars. The "Born Fast" Horizon Story in Horizon 5 even has the Player inviting the street racers they beat—up to and including its founding leader—to the Festival so they can actually have a good time just racing for the sake of racing, not winning, while also reconciling the relationship between said leader and Jay.
- No Name Given: In the first two Horizon games, he (as their gender was in both those games) is not given a proper name. Lampshaded by the other competitors, invoked by the radio stations; they point out your character doesn't even register his name in the events he's entering. Averted from Horizon 3 onward, as the real-life player can choose their given name (or nickname) from Horizon 3 onward, and some characters will use it in their dialogue.
- Ridiculously Average Guy: The Player in the first two games is, as described by Forza Wiki on Fandom,
"a relatively nondescript, Caucasian male with short black hair and stubbly facial hair" (as pictured above). Even Scott Tyler in 2022 couldn't remember much about him other than "[p]ale guy, white shirt, didn't say much." - Suddenly Voiced: They speak for the first time in Forza Horizon 5, with real-life players being able to choose between a masculine voice or a feminine one. Lampshaded by some of the returning characters in the game. This also doubles for the player in Horizon 4 as they're the Player Character again in Horizon 5.
- Vocal Dissonance: In Horizon 5, it's possible to give the player character the voice of the opposite gender.
- The Voiceless: They do not talk in the first four Horizon games or their expansions. They would be considered a Heroic Mime if it weren't for the fact that they're neither a hero nor a villain; just someone who enjoys driving in a music and racing festival.
- White Male Lead: Only in the first two games; Horizon 3 onward allows players to choose their model, each of a different gender and skin tone.
Forza Horizon (2012)
Appears in: Forza Horizon
One of the stars at the 2012 Horizon Festival, he also runs the not-so-secret street racing scene held outside of the Festival. He races against the player in the Green events.
- Defeat Means Friendship: When you beat him, he invites you to the street races that he hosts outside the Festival.
- Friendly Rivalry: Unlike the other rivals in Horizon, he likes you even before you defeat him (though in the spirit of competition, he won't hold back). He even invites you to join his street racing league afterward.
Appears in: Forza Horizon
The director and CEO of the 2012 Horizon Festival.
Appears in: All Forza Horizon games
The artificial intelligence who serves as the Player's GPS in each and every Horizon Festival. Her name is short for Automated Natural Navigation Assistant.
Appears in: Forza Horizon
The lead mechanic and race engineer of the 2012 Horizon Festival in Colorado.
Appears in: Forza Horizon
- Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: "Arrogant Badass Driver", to be precise.
- Awesome McCoolname: His name is so cool that Scott Tyler even comments that it sounds too cool to be real and suspects that it must be a name change. Even ten years later, Tyler's still suspecting the legitimacy of the name.
- Badass Driver: A rather douchey example of one, but he is a three-time Horizon Champion for good reason.
- Big Bad: Well, the closest thing to one anyway. Your goal in Forza Horizon is to beat him to become the Horizon Champion.
- Break the Haughty: Upon losing to the player in the last duel against him and earning his Ferrari 599XX, he'll become emotionally devastated while worrying that he'll lose his sponsors as result.Darius: "I, uh... I... This suppose this is, uh... yours now... My sponsors' gonna be furious..."
- The Bus Came Back: For the Horizon 1 chapter of the "Horizon Origins" story in Horizon 5, albeit unvoiced.
- Expy: To M. Rossi of Motorsport series.
- Final Boss: He is the last star to beat in order to become the 2012 Horizon Champion.
- Villain with Good Publicity: Not a villain per se, but he is quite a jerkass. Nevertheless, he is such a good driver that he's become globally famous and popular in-universe.
Appears in: Forza Horizon
One of the stars at the 2012 Horizon Festival, he's known in-universe for hosting the Jackass-like TV series Krash Max. He races against the player in the Blue events.
- Cool Car: He drives a yellow 1997 Lamborghini Diablo SV. Does this ring a bell to you?
- Cool Shades: Obviously to play up his celebrity image.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: He seems to be (very) loosely based on Johnny Knoxville of Jackass fame.
Appears in: Forza Horizon
One of the stars at the 2012 Horizon Festival. She races against the player in the Purple events.
- Alliterative Name: Hailey Harper.
Appears in: Forza Horizon
The disc jockey of Horizon Pulse, before Amy Simpson took over the role in the sequels.
Appears in: Forza Horizon
One of the stars at the 2012 Horizon Festival. He races against the player in the Pink events.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Marko is first seen during the player's first visit to Dak at the start of the game. It isn't until the Pink events that the player races against him.
Appears in: Forza Horizon
The disc jockey of Horizon Rocks, the predecessor radio station to Horizon XS.
Appears in: Forza Horizon
One of the stars at the 2012 Horizon Festival. She races against the player in the Yellow events.
- Wake-Up Call Boss: While being the first boss that you'll face in a showdown, her souped-up 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor shouldn't be underestimated as it can put up a decent fight against you on the asphalt thanks to its All-Wheel Drive layout and having more than 400 BHP (especially on the hardest difficulty setting).
Appears in: All Forza Horizon games (except Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious)
The disc jockey of Horizon Bass Arena. He's the Horizon series' most recurring character, having held on to his position since the 2012 festival in Colorado.
- Bad "Bad Acting": In one of the "V10" missions where it's stated that he would make a cameo appearance in the next Vanguard Force film. He's very stiff reading his lines and also not a good scriptwriter either.
- Dumbass DJ: As the Forza Horizon series got Lighter and Softer (and thus got lower and lower age ratings) with each instalment, he was Flanderized into this trope, becoming increasingly talkative and foolish.
- Found Family via Work: Scott confesses at the end of the "Horizon Origins" story in Horizon 5 for his answer to the Player's question of what the Horizon Festival means to him. He knows that he's annoying, uncool, easily distracted, and tells lame jokes sometimes, but Horizon gives him a home that lets him hang out with people like the Player while doing "the best job in the world, every day."
- Series Mascot: More or less, being the only original Forza Horizon character to still be part of the series, even though we could only hear him prior to Horizon 5.
- Unseen No More: He finally makes a (very brief) physical appearance at the end of Forza Horizon 5's opening and even then, he's only seen from a relative distance. He appears much more up close and personal in the "Horizon Origins" story introduced into the game as part of the Horizon series' 10-year anniversary update in October 2022, riding shotgun with the player in the previous games' cover cars. You can get a look at his face using photo mode.
Appears in: Forza Horizon
One of the stars at the 2012 Horizon Festival. He races against the player in the Orange events.
- Non-Idle Rich: Zaki is an Arab prince with a serious love of cars and motorsports.Zaki Malak: I might have been born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but I also had grease under my nails.
Forza Horizon 2 (2014) and Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious (2015)
Appears in: All Forza Horizon games (except Forza Horizon and Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious)
The disc jockey of Horizon Pulse in every Forza Horizon sequel so far.
- Genki Girl: Befitting her radio station's poppy output, she's relentlessly, insistently perky, upbeat, and cheerful at all times... although with a touch of Deadpan Snarker underneath this persona.
- Must Have Caffeine: References drinking coffee incredibly frequently, which may explain her consistently energetic demeanour.
- Take That!: Receives a pinata as a gift in Horizon 5 which she immediately nicknames "Scotty" in reference to Bass Arena DJ Scott Tyler, and swiftly comments that it's the quietest she's ever heard him.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 2
The lead mechanic of Horizon Europe.
- First-Name Basis: Her surname was never revealed. It could possibly be Stewart, though.
- Luke, You Are My Father: Indirect example for the Player (who she's not related to). Scott Tyler reveals in Forza Horizon 5 during the "Horizon Europe" chapter of the "Horizon Origins" story that after Horizon Europe, she went off to run a garage with her uncle Dak, thus revealing her to be his niece.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 2
The director of Horizon Europe, as well as the reigning Horizon Champion by the events of Forza Horizon 2.
- Nice Guy: He really wants you to enjoy the festival. Maybe a little too much if fan reactions are anything to go by.
Chris Goss appears in: All Forza Horizon games (except Forza Horizon and Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious)
London Elektricity appears in: Forza Horizon 2, Forza Horizon 3, and Forza Horizon 4
Degs appears in: Forza Horizon 5
Chris Goss and Tony "London Elektricity" Colman are the co-founders (and, in the case of Colman, the CEO) of British indie Drum and Bass record label Hospital Records. Goss has been one of the disc jockeys of the label's own Hospital Records Radio station at every Horizon Festival from Horizon 2 onward, joined by Colman in 2, 3, and 4. Fellow British drum and bass musician Andrew Ndegwa "Degs" Davies replaces Colman as Goss's partner in Horizon 5.
- Adam Westing: They all play slightly exaggerated versions of themselves as they (or, at least, Goss and Colman) present themselves in the real-life Hospital Records podcast.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious
The mechanic of Dom Toretto's crew. He asks for the Player's help during the Horizon Festival in Southern France.
More tropes relating to him can be found at The Fast and the Furious: The Team.
Forza Horizon 3 (2016)
The manager of the Horizon Festival in Horizon 3's Australia, working for the Player, and the director of the Horizon Festival in Horizon 4's Great Britain. She's Irish and speaks with a southern Irish accent.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 3
The Australian auto mechanic of Horizon Australia.
- Only One Name: This trope apparently applies to him according to his ForzaVista commentary on Aston Martin.Warren: The name's Warren. Um... it's just Warren.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 3, Forza Horizon 4
The Australian DJ of classical music radio station Timeless FM. He loathes the Horizon Festival and its drivers but nonetheless reluctantly partners with the festival, even transplanting over to the UK. His wife enjoys it, though.
Forza Horizon 4 (2018)
Appears in: Forza Horizon 4, Forza Horizon 5
A Scottish off-road racer who runs the Dirt Racing Series at Horizon Festival UK and the Horizon Wilds outpost at Horizon Festival Mexico. He also works with Jaimin on choosing spots for Danger Signs at Horizon Festival UK. In Horizon 5: Rally Adventure, he is the team leader of the Horizon Raptors.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 4, Forza Horizon 5
An avid Indian-English street racer who runs the (unauthorised) Street Scene Series at Horizon Festival UK. He also works with Alex on choosing spots for Danger Signs in that festival. At Horizon Festival Mexico, he switches over to PR stunts exclusively and runs the Horizon Rush outpost.
- Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: In Horizon 4, he sports an impressive beard for a street racer. His character model in Horizon 5, however, shows that he's since shaved it off. (Then again, you wouldn't want to have a big beard in a hot country like Mexico.)
- Manchild: He's the only one of Keira's main employees from the mainland to appear in LEGO Valley (the rest appeared on Fortune Island) and he's really excited to play with LEGO bricks.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 4
The English representative for the Horizon Relations department of the Horizon Festival, who discovers the Player and gives them the opportunity to become a stunt driver. He appears throughout the Horizon Stories. He also operates hypercar rental service World's Fastest Rentals with the player in Edinburgh.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 4, Forza Horizon 5
A Welshman who runs a club for drifting enthusiasts called "Drift Club". He's very knowledgeable about drift cars, but also a bit sensitive about how people would react to him and his club.
- The Bus Came Back: He was mentioned in passing by Alejandra and the Player in Horizon 5 but didn't appear in the base game. However, he returned to start Drift Club Mexico in the Series 6 update.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 4, Forza Horizon 5
The British DJ and radio presenter who runs Horizon Block Party at Horizon Festival UK and Horizon Festival Mexico.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 4, Forza Horizon 5
An English film director who Joel recommends the Player to serve as Frankie Beaumont's stunt driver in Horizon 4. He also appears in Horizon 5 as a stunt director for the latest Vanguard Force film.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 4
An English racer who is the returning Horizon Champion by the events of Horizon 4. She helps Keira run the Road Racing Series at the Horizon Festival. She also narrates the in-game documentary series British Racing Green, which is about the automotive history of Great Britain.
Appears in: Forza Horizon 4, Forza Horizon 5
- Ascended Extra: In their first appearance, they only appear briefly at the beginning of the "Stunt Driver" Horizon Story simply to show who the Player is being the stunt driver for and for the game to make a crack about their similar appearance. Horizon 5 fleshes them out by specifically requesting the Player for their help for the "V10" Horizon Story, even having them speak for the first time.
- Identical Stranger: They will always bare some resemblance to the player, regardless of gender or skin color. This is what makes the player a perfect Stunt Double for them. Unlike the player, Frankie is not a very good driver, which they request the player to help them with in Horizon 5's "V10" Horizon Story.
Forza Horizon 5 (2021)
Appears in: Forza Horizon 5
Appears in: Forza Horizon 5
Appears in: Forza Horizon 5
Appears in: Forza Horizon 5
(University of Guanajuato) who helps the University collect telemetry for various purposes. He helps with finding new sites for speed zones and festival outposts. He's also Ale and Rami's cousin.Appears in: Forza Horizon 5
of Mexican and Salvadoran descent who serves as the DJ of Horizon XS in Horizon Festival Mexico.Appears in: Forza Horizon 5
