What Azimuth actually is
The project page describes Azimuth as a wrapper that runs the Xbox One version of Forza Horizon 2 on Windows 11. It translates Xbox WinRT calls to Win32 and Xbox DirectX 11.X to desktop DirectX 12. That is more precise than saying it "changes system calls". It is also not a native PC build.
Coverage from Generation Amiga makes the same distinction. Azimuth isn't a download of Forza Horizon 2, and Microsoft hasn't released a new PC edition. It also doesn't try to run the whole Xbox One library. It focuses on the one game and handles the functions that game needs.
The developer's page carries a disclaimer. It calls the release a 0.9 version, so rough edges are expected, and says releasing now will help catch remaining issues faster. The page lists the project as in development. It also says the project is unaffiliated with Microsoft, Xbox or Playground Games. Per the page, it was published two days before that search snapshot and is listed as in development. The page's own update log shows versions through 0.9.7.
Setup and requirements
The details below come from the developer's page.
- Game version: Only version 1.0.0.64 is supported. Other builds are not expected to work.
- Game files: On first launch, azimuth.exe asks you to point it at a folder containing era.vbi, Mount/ and EmbeddedXvd/. If the launcher rejects a folder, check those three items first.
- Download size: The Windows ZIP is about 2.6 MB. That is small because no game assets are included. Per the developer, the download contains no game files or copyrighted assets and uses no decryption or circumvention. Users must obtain their own files and follow applicable laws and license terms. Those are the developer's statements, not a legal finding.
- OS: The page names Windows 11. In the comments, the developer answered a user's question by saying Windows 10 is already supported. Treat Windows 10 as developer-stated rather than documented on the main page.
- Input: The page lists an Xbox controller as the input. Commenters report using keyboard-mapping tools, but keyboard play is not an official feature.
Obtaining the files is the real barrier. Comments on the page show users running into this, including one who doubted the console-format files could be extracted at all. Azimuth does not solve that problem, and this article won't either.
Performance and graphics options
The developer says the wrapper is lightweight and reaches 720p at 60 FPS or 1080p at 30 FPS on a Steam Deck. The guidance is that hardware on par with or faster than a Steam Deck, with 16 GB of RAM, should be fine. These are the developer's estimates, not independent benchmarks.
Options listed on the page:
- Resolution: 720p up to the display's resolution.
- Frame rate: 30 or 60 FPS.
- Low mode: below Xbox One quality, close to the game's split-screen profile.
- Default mode: regular Xbox One graphics.
- High mode: shadows and reflections twice as detailed, a shadow draw distance three times as large, photo-mode car models and 16x anisotropic filtering.
- Anti-aliasing: off, 2x MSAA or 4x MSAA.
Early-release problems users report
Because this is a 0.9.x release, the page's comment section is a useful reality check. These are anecdotal user reports, not confirmed bugs.
- Infinite loading screens: Several users report getting stuck, especially at 60 FPS. Some say 30 FPS, a lower resolution or restarting the game helped. One suggested high GPU usage as a factor. The developer says the bug affects only some users and that he cannot reproduce it, so there is "a lot of guesswork". He pointed to a fix in a future release.
- Stuttering: Several people with AMD GPUs report frequent stutter, while some Nvidia users do not. That pattern is only commenters' speculation.
- Other reports: These include audio quirks, crashes in custom livery creation and black letterboxing on non-16:9 displays. The developer also says a skip-launcher option is coming in the next release.
Trying a 30 FPS cap or a lower resolution is a cheap first step if you hit a loading hang. It isn't a guaranteed fix.
Offline only, and why
The page says there is naturally no Xbox Live, so the game plays offline with no multiplayer or achievements. That limit predates Azimuth. Turn 10 closed online services for Forza Horizon 1 and 2 on August 22, 2023. Turn 10's notice says that covered all versions of Forza Horizon 2, including matchmaking, leaderboards and online browsing and downloading of user-created liveries, vinyls, tunes and photos. The same notice says the games were already delisted from the Microsoft Store.
Azimuth restores none of that. It also doesn't make the game purchasable. Anyone hoping for community multiplayer would need a separate project, and one commenter has already offered to explore that.
3DM Game reports the developer plans HDR, an Ultra preset, higher frame rates, optimizations and Storm Island DLC support. Treat those as stated plans, not commitments.
What it means for Windows users
This is a niche but interesting example of Windows-side compatibility work. Translating Xbox-specific runtime calls and a console DirectX variant to desktop Windows APIs is far lighter than emulating a console. That is why a Steam Deck-class machine is a plausible target. It also shows the limits: the wrapper works with one game and one build, it is early software, and it depends on files it can't supply.
If you try it, check the game build and folder layout first. Start at 30 FPS, and keep expectations in line with a 0.9.x release. Readers who want the original experience, including online play, can't get it from any source today.