The 55-year-old pro rally driver has become a legend in motorsport as well as in the video game industry.
2023 starts off on the wrong foot for all motorsports fans. Although today is the birthday of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, there is only one topic on everyone’s mind today: the unfortunate death of Ken Block. The pro rally driver had a fatal snowmobile accident in Utah.
A few hours after this regrettable announcement, fans of motorsport video games have spoken out about it – from the official accounts of Forza Motorsport games and Forza Horizon 5 to fans who have commented on Twitter about how much they will miss the legendary Ken Block.
A legacy that crossed over to video games
If you’ve ever played a motorsport game, you’ll know who Ken Block is. This rally legend has become popular worldwide for his skills behind the wheel. With a daring, challenging, and very impressive driving style, he has made the leap from real life to video games, leaving behind a great video game legacy.
His first appearance in video games dates back to 2009 in Colin McRae: Dirt 2. Then from Dirt 3 with the renowned Gymkhana, Ken began a legacy that has spread over the years to other game series. In fact, his popularity reached such a point that all the cars used by Ken were added to sagas such as Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon.
Undoubtedly, in motorsports, Ken’s legacy will always be present. But, the mark left by both Ken Block and Hoonigan in video games will never be forgotten.
Forza Community Speaks Out
As expected, racing game fans have spoken out on social media. On Twitter, following the news confirmed by Hoonigan on Instagram, both the Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon accounts shared tweets giving their condolences for the loss of the great driver.
In addition to this, we can see thousands of tweets from players of both titles commenting on how much the pro rally driver will be missed. Some of them even highlight the influence of the pro rally driver in the way players play the genre’s video games.
Without a doubt, Ken will be sorely missed. We share our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. The legend and his legacy will never be forgotten. And, surely, many games in the future will pay great tribute to Ken Block.
