Forza Horizon 5 is set to arrive on PS5 in a few months. This announcement continues to be surprising for part of the Xbox community, as exclusives have gradually moved towards competing platforms over the years. It represents a significant shift, particularly since Forza has long been considered one of the flagship licenses associated with the Xbox brand, alongside Halo and Gears of War. However, groundwork had already been laid through months of persistent rumors and statements from Xbox and Microsoft executives emphasizing the importance of being present on all devices regardless of competition. There is little doubt remaining about the future direction for third-party publishers in relation to American constructors, and recent acquisitions such as that of Activision-Blizzard have not significantly boosted Xbox Game Pass subscriptions (+2% only). A new era is thus beginning for Xbox.
The PlayStation Twitter accounts promptly shared the news: Forza Horizon 5 will be released on PS5 in the upcoming spring. A notable feature is that the game will support cross-play compatibility, allowing players from PlayStation, Xbox, and PC to play together. Additionally, all post-launch content for the Xbox and PC versions will be available at day one on PS5, including at least 900 cars, over 40 thematic updates, two expansions, and additional content. Panic Button is handling the PS5 port in collaboration with Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games. Furthermore, a new free update named Horizon Realms is scheduled to launch soon and will be accessible on all three platforms. Impressive developments indeed.
