Volkswagen was absent from Forza Horizon 3 because of licensing issues. The 2016 racing game launched with a large selection of licensed cars, but Volkswagen models were missing from its roster at release. The omission reflected an agreement problem rather than a technical limitation or a design decision about the Australian setting.
Forza Horizon 3 was developed by Playground Games and published by Microsoft Studios for Xbox One and Windows 10. Set in a fictionalized version of Australia, it expanded the open-world formula with off-road driving, deeper vehicle customization, and a launch roster of about 350 vehicles. The game’s cars were modeled and presented as recognizable real-world products, making manufacturer permissions essential.
A common mix-up is to name Porsche, Ferrari, or Toyota, since licensing arrangements have affected those brands in different Forza titles and eras. Volkswagen is the canonical answer for Horizon 3’s release-era absence; later car additions or separate games should not be used to rewrite that original fact.