Azimuth is a free third-party compatibility wrapper that lets you run the Xbox One version of Forza Horizon 2 on a Windows PC. This guide covers a clean first-time installation using Azimuth 0.9.10.
Azimuth is developed by Almost There Games. FH2Mods is an independent community site and is not affiliated with Microsoft, Xbox, Playground Games, or the Azimuth developer. Azimuth does not include game files. Use your own legally obtained game files.
What you need
•Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit).
•Azimuth Launcher — download only from the official Azimuth itch.io page.
•Forza Horizon 2 for Xbox One, version 1.0.0.64 (your own game files).
•A compatible graphics card and up-to-date graphics drivers. Azimuth uses DirectX 12; Intel integrated graphics are not fully supported.
•Enough free disk space for your game installation and Azimuth data.
Step 1 — Download Azimuth
1. Open the official Azimuth download page.
2. Click Download Now and follow the itch.io download flow.
3. Download the Windows ZIP archive (currently azimuth-windows.zip).
4. Do not download reuploaded, renamed, or modified copies of Azimuth from third-party sources.
Step 2 — Extract the launcher
1. Create a dedicated folder, for example C:\Games\Azimuth.
2. Extract the entire ZIP archive into that folder using Windows Explorer or your archive utility.
3. Keep the extracted launcher files together. Do not run the launcher directly from inside the ZIP.
4. Open azimuth.exe from the extracted folder.
If you already used an earlier Azimuth version, back up your existing data folder before updating. Keeping the original folder helps preserve your saves and settings.Step 3 — Prepare your Forza Horizon 2 folder
Azimuth needs the Xbox One game files, not a PC repack or an Xbox 360 edition. The selected game directory must contain the items below:
text
Forza Horizon 2/
├── era.vbi
├── Mount/
└── EmbeddedXvd/Make sure you select the parent folder containing all three items, not the Mount folder itself. Do not alter original game files just to make Azimuth recognize the installation.
Step 4 — Select the game in Azimuth
1. Launch azimuth.exe.
2. On the launcher's Game page, select or browse to your Forza Horizon 2 directory.
3. Confirm the selected folder contains era.vbi, Mount, and EmbeddedXvd.
4. Let Azimuth finish any initial preparation. The first launch may take longer while graphics pipelines are prepared.
Step 5 — Configure and launch
1. Start with the Default graphics preset. Increase quality after confirming the game runs correctly.
2. Set a suitable resolution, frame rate, audio output, and in-game language in the launcher.
3. Connect an Xbox-compatible controller if you plan to use one.
4. Click the launch/start option to run Forza Horizon 2.
5. To quit cleanly, hold Esc or the controller View/Back button for about two seconds.
Start without mods first. Once the base game works, add mods one at a time so compatibility problems are easy to identify.
Optional — Install Storm Island or Fast & Furious
Azimuth can register supported additional content from its Game page. Keep each content package in its own folder and select that folder in the launcher.
•Storm Island: supported package version 1.0.0.36.
•Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious: version 1.0.0.6; support is experimental.
•Keep your own original package files separate instead of merging unrelated installations.
Troubleshooting
Azimuth cannot find the game
•Recheck the selected folder: it must directly contain era.vbi, Mount, and EmbeddedXvd.
•Confirm you have the supported Xbox One 1.0.0.64 version of Forza Horizon 2.
•Try a clean, unmodified copy of your game files if an existing mod altered installation files.
Crash, missing files, or blocked launcher
•Download Azimuth again from the official itch.io page, then extract the complete archive.
•Check Windows and your security software's notifications for a blocked file. Verify the download source rather than disabling protection.
•Update your graphics drivers and test with default launcher settings.
•If the game still crashes, include data\logs\azimuth.log in an issue report. Follow the developer's reporting instructions; for crashes, they also request a DMP file.
Low FPS or stutter
•Start with Default graphics settings and reduce resolution or demanding options if needed.
•Some city stutter is a known Azimuth limitation. Shader and graphics caches also rebuild after updates, so performance can fluctuate while they warm up.
•Intel integrated graphics are not yet fully supported.
Updating Azimuth without losing saves
•Back up the entire Azimuth folder, especially data, before changing versions.
•Prefer updating your existing launcher folder while keeping data intact; older versions may migrate saves on first launch.
•Azimuth 0.9.10 keeps saves from 0.9.9 unchanged. After updating, the first launch may prepare graphics pipelines again.
Next steps
Once the game launches correctly, explore FH2Mods to find compatible community modifications. Always read each mod's version and installation requirements first.
Useful official links: Azimuth download · Azimuth 0.9.10 release notes · Azimuth troubleshooting and reports