Sometimes things aren't basic anymore when you start piling on new features that shoulder the majority of the heft (and take precedence at launch) while you see if you can work in those older features. For a new game, I'd rather new features than regression items carried over where you have to wait for the new features.
GT7 had the worst user scores and impressions when it launched. I'm sure the Forza team can survive lack of split screen, bots, and spectating that were never formally promised to be there in the first place.
If having 48x the tire physics of the previous game doesn't create a perceptible increase in the game's quality among the majority of the customer base, and doesn't do anything more than just going for say 24x the tire physics, when the latter could have also allowed split-screen or Spectator Mode at launch, then maybe the team made a bad choice.
Because while some people ITT are saying they don't use those modes, the thing is, previous games had them from jump, and they create a much more obvious, immediate perception of additional content and features than marginal benefits in tire physics being 48x vs 24x.
GT7 user scores on MetaCritic were partly due to console warriors review-bombing the game. A bit of it was over always-online even for the SP mode which is still a silly requirement, but hey at least the SP campaign is still there. Some of the pricing for a few of the cars was absolutely ridiculous, but you could still earn those cars through regular play of the game. GT7 wasn't a case of missing features/modes vs previous entries.
It’s missing basic features? Which ones?
Split-screen. Spectator Mode. Those are two right there. Forza's direct rival has those features and had them from launch. Whether you use them a ton or not yourself isn't the point. They still have an audience, and Turn 10 just adding the features in months or up to a year later shouldn't warrant some big celebration of an accomplishment.
GaaS should be about still bringing players content-rich releases like other entries, and using the GaaS model to bring in NEW features and content to the franchise regularly over time to keep engagement and add more to the world of the IP.
I didn't even know splitscreen was a thing that could be in, don't think PC had it in FM7, so no splitscreen at launch with it possibly existing down the line is actually better than I was expecting. But at the same time I have been really enjoying local mp with my son recently, some old Dirt games, Quake II, RE5, Helldivers etc so its a real shame its not in.
As long as AI is in regular multiplayer (featured multiplayer is the big events?) I don't see that as a bad thing.
Spectator mode I have no interest in at all - is that a big thing for people?
Spectator Mode adds to the feeling of watching a racing broadcast, and can be helpful seeing how the AI handles lines on a track in certain race event types. You can for example, determine which car you'd like to take to the course as your best option based on information you can pick up on in Spectator Mode. Also some people just like to kick back and watch a racing event vs. compete in it directly themselves.
I always liked the introduction of the mode back from GT3's B-Spec, and there's probably a lot that can still be done to expand on it and make it even better. That goes for both Forza and GT. However if a game like Forza isn't going to even bother, that's less incentive (potentially) for GT to try pushing ahead with innovating with that type of mode/feature.