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Update on February 27, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET: Playground Games has announced on social media that there won't be any cross-save or cross-progression support between Xbox and PlayStation with the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 5. This means that if you already own the game on Xbox (or PC, presumably) and then get it on PS5, you won't be able to carry over all your unlocks and progress. The original article follows below.
Original article: A full month after developer Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios announced that its critically acclaimed open-world racer Forza Horizon 5 would be coming to PlayStation 5 this year, the studio has revealed its specific release date. Additionally, it's also gone over the free Horizon Realms update launching for everyone at the same time in more detail.
Forza Horizon 5 is officially scheduled to drive onto PS5 on April 29, 2025, with April 25 Early Access available to folks who preorder the more expensive $99.99 Premium Edition of the game. Preorders are available now on the PlayStation Store; you have the option between the $59.99 base game, the $79.99 Deluxe Edition that adds 42 cars to your garage from the Car Pass, or the Premium Edition that also includes access to the title's two DLC expansions and some additional benefits like a VIP membership.
Regardless of which version of Forza Horizon 5 you preorder on PS5, you'll get some cool preorder bonuses. Playground is throwing the 2021 Mercedes-AMG Mercedes-AMG ONE — the car on the game's cover — in with every early purchase, along with 5,000 Forzathon points (used for buying cars and cosmetic items) and five Backstage Passes you can spend on rare Backstage Shop cars.
Coinciding with Forza Horizon 5's PS5 arrival on April 25 is the launch of the Horizon Realms patch, a major update that will add a new Horizon Stadium Circuit track while also bringing back the following 11 fan-favorite locations from previous Evolving World releases:
- Stunt Park
- Ice Rink
- Oval Track
- Summer Party
- Neon Airstrip
- Día de Muertos
- Winter Wonderland
- Lunar Drift Arena
- Retrowave Highway
- Cars and Coffee
- Stadium Maze
You'll be able to earn new accolades as you race through all of these iconic vehicular playgrounds, and unlock four new reward cars coming to the colossal Forza Horizon 5 car list when you do: the 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto, the 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, the 2018 Lotus Exige Cup 430, and the 2022 Hennessey Mammoth 6x6.
Throughout all of Horizon Realms, you'll have the option to play in Skill Mode or Free Mode. The former is more competitively focused and features Skill Score leaderboards and earnable player badges, while the latter is more casual and lets you explore each returning location with friends while earning older player badges and Forzathon points. For full details from Playground, check out its blog post.
Playground Games has also announced a Nissan Retro Rides Car Pack DLC that'll be separate from Horizon Realms. It's coming at the same time as the update and the PS5 release, and will include four classic Nissan cars for $4.99: the 1989 Nissan Pao, 1991 Nissan Figaro, 1989 Nissan Scargo, and the 1987 Nissan Be-1. Notably, you'll automatically get this pack if you've purchased the Ultimate Car Pack Collection.
Forza Horizon 5 is finishing strong
- DEAL: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 1-month memberships are just $12.59 at CDKeys, giving you access to Microsoft's service for a steep discount
Forza Horizon 5 has been a massive success for Microsoft and Xbox, but with 2021 game now several years old and Playground Games undoubtedly working on a full-fledged sequel, it seems that support for the title is now winding down. Still, the popular open-world racer is enjoying a strong finish.
Horizon Realms and its collection of returning locales is a major celebration of Forza Horizon 5 and the series as a whole, while the game's imminent arrival on PS5 means that countless gamers will have a chance to enjoy one of the best Xbox games and best PC games made this decade.
Some will criticize Microsoft for porting another Xbox exclusive to PlayStation here, but given that the firm wants to make Xbox a more profitable business, bringing a game that's likely not selling much on Xbox consoles anymore to a new market makes sense.
If you've never played Forza Horizon 5 before, this upcoming PS5 launch is one way you now can; alternatively, you can also access it through Xbox Game Pass on Xbox, PC, and mobile (with Ultimate and Xbox Cloud Gaming). Notably, the base version of the game on Xbox and PC is just $36.69 at CDKeys, which is an excellent deal given its usual $59.99 MSRP.
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