How to Fix Forza Horizon MarketPlace Error

Some Forza Horizon players are encountering the ‘MarketPlace Error‘ whenever they attempt to redeem or buy content from the in-game store. This problem is confirmed to occur on both Forza Horizon 3 and Forza Horizon.

Forza Horizon Marketplace Error

After investigating this particular issue, it turns out that there are several different causes that might cause this particular error code. Here’s a shortlist of culprits that affected users have confirmed:

  • Undergoing server issue – As it turns out, this particular error can also occur if the game megaservers are currently down or if there’s a widespread issue going around with the Xbox Live infrastructure. If this scenario is applicable, the only thing you can do is confirm the server problem and wait for it to be resolved.
  • Ownership glitch – In most circumstances, this problem will occur due to a simple ownership glitch that makes the game believe that you don’t actually have the rights to access that DLC. In this case, you need to restart your PC or power-cycle your console to fix the issue.
  • DLC is not installed locally – If you’re encountering this problem on an Xbox One console, it’s possible that you’re seeing this error because the DLC containing the car that you are trying to redeem is not downloaded locally. In this case, you can get the issue resolved by accessing the Manage Game menu of Forza Horizon 3 and installing the Blizzard Mountain DLC.
  • Inproper MAC address – If you have previously set up an alternate MAC address for your Xbox One console, chances are you’ll be able to fix the marketplace error by removing it from your Network settings. This fix was confirmed to work by a lot of affected users that were seeing this error on Xbox One and Xbox One S.

Method 1: Checking for Server Issues

Before you try any of the other potential fixes below, you should start by ensuring that Forza Horizon is not currently affected by a widespread server issue that is making the built-in Marketplace unaccessible.

This is even more likely if the multiplayer component is no longer working.

To find out if other Forza Horizon users are also encountering this problem, you should start by checking services like DownDetector and Services Down.

Checking for user-reported server problems with Forza games

If you found recent reports of users having the same kind of problem with the game, you should also take the time to investigate if Xbox Live is currently having widespread issues by checking out the official status page.

Xbox Live server status

Note: In case you have successfully confirmed that you’re dealing with a server issue, the only thing you can do at this point is to wait for PlayGround Games (Forza developers) to fix their server issues or for Microsoft to fix their Xbox Live infrastructure.

If the status page doesn’t report anything related to your Forza game, you can safely conclude that the error you’re seeing pops up due to something that’s occurring locally – In this case, one of the methods below should allow you fix the problem.

Method 2: Restart or Power-Cycle affected Device

As it turns out, you might experience this problem due to a temporary glitch that can be resolved by a simple device restart. This potential fix was confirmed by both PC and Xbox users with both Forza Horizon 3 and Forza Horizon 4.

If you’re on PC, simply initiate a restart and repeat the action that is currently causing the marketplace error once the next startup is complete.

In case you are encountering the issue on Xbox One, follow the instructions below to power-cycle the game console:

  1. Start by ensuring that your console is fully turned on and not in hibernation mode.
  2. Next, press and hold the Xbox button on your console and keep it pressed for about 10 seconds or until you see that the front LED stops flashing.
    Pressing the power button on Xbox One
  3. Once your console no longer shows any signs of life, unplug the power cord and wait for a full minute to ensure that you give the power capacitors enough time to drain completely
    Unplugging the Xbox One
    Unplugging the Xbox One

    Note: This will ensure that temp data normally carried over in between restarts will be cleared.

  4. Connect the power cable once again and boot your console conventionally.
  5. Once the next startup is complete, open Forza Horizon and repeat the same marketplace action that was previously causing the error.

If the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.

Method 3: Installing DLC from the Manage Game menu (Xbox One Only)

If you’re encountering this problem while attempting to access content from a DLC that you previously purchased on Xbox One, chances are you have ownership for it but you haven’t specifically downloaded it locally.

This problem is fairly common with the Blizzard Mountain DLC. Fortunately, Xbox One users that were having this issue have managed to fix this problem by accessing the Manage menu of Forza Horizon 3 and downloading the DLC locally.

If this scenario is applicable, follow the instructions below to install the missing DLC locally:

  1. Press the Xbox button to bring up the guide menu, then access the Games & apps menu.
    Accessing My games & Apps
  2. From the Games & Apps menu, find Forza Horizon 3 from the list of installed games.
  3. With the correct game selected, press the Start button and choose Manage game.
    Accessing the Manage Game menu of Forza Horizon
  4. Next, download & install the Blizzard Mountain DLC and restart your console at the end of it.
  5. Once your Xbox One console boots back up, repeat the action that was previously causing the issue and see if the problem is now fixed.

If the same marketplace error is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.

Method 4: Clearing the Alternate MAC Address (if applicable)

if you’re seeing the ‘marketplace error‘ on Xbox One’ One of the most effective fixes for this kind of issue is to clear the alternate MAC address that is currently stored by your console. This fix was confirmed to be effective by a lot of affected users.

Keep in mind that clearing your MAC address will not affect your console in any way – This feature was developed to allow Xbox One users to grant their console the same MAC address as their PC in order to avoid hotel and other types of restricted networks.

If you haven’t tried clearing the Alternate MAC address of your console yet, here are the step-by-step instructions on how to do this:

  1. From the main Xbox One menu, access the vertical menu on the right by pressing the guide button on your controller), then choose Settings / All Settings from the newly appeared context menu.
    Accessing the Settings menu on Xbox One
  2. Inside the Settings menu of your Xbox One console, navigate to the Network tab using the menu on the left, then access the Network Settings submenu from the left-hand side menu.
    Accessing the Network Settings tab
  3. Once you’re inside the Network Settings tab, select the Advanced Settings menu, then access the Alternate MAC address submenu.
  4. Next, choose Alternate Wired MAC or Alternate Wireless MAC (depending on your current configuration) and hit Clear to confirm that you want to remove the current Alternate MAC address.

    Clearing the Alternate WIred MAC address
  5. Once you have successfully cleared the Alternate MAC address that your console was storing, reboot your console and see if the problem is fixed once the next startup is complete.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Arrows


Kevin Arrows is a highly experienced and knowledgeable technology specialist with over a decade of industry experience. He holds a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification and has a deep passion for staying up-to-date on the latest tech developments. Kevin has written extensively on a wide range of tech-related topics, showcasing his expertise and knowledge in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. His contributions to the tech field have been widely recognized and respected by his peers, and he is highly regarded for his ability to explain complex technical concepts in a clear and concise manner.