Confirmed: Forza Horizon 5 is the next title to make the leap from Xbox to PlayStation

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Further to Microsoft's pledge to make Xbox more profitable, one of their biggest franchises is arriving on PlayStation soon.

Image of Forza Horizon 5 'Back to the 90s'.
Forza Horizon 5 remains one of Microsoft's biggest ever gaming success stories. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

The next Xbox game being ported over to PlayStation 5 is Playground Games' Forza Horizon 5, the Xbox teams revealed on Thursday.

Over the past year, Microsoft has made no secret of its plan to begin launching more and more games on the PlayStation ecosystem. Sea of Thieves was among the first, then Indiana Jones was announced, and now, Microsoft is going even further.

Forza Horizon 5 is one of Microsoft's most successful games in history, serving tens of millions of players. The flagship racing game is the gold standard for the genre, and is a multi-award winner. It's also a huge money maker for Microsoft, owing to its live service nature, on-going updates, and in-app purchases. Forza Horizon 5 first launched back on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and Windows PC in November 21. The game was a roaring success, rapidly reaching over 20 million players and, like its predecessors, achieving critical acclaim.

Shared with us via sources initially, and then confirmed by Microsoft on Forza Horizon 5's website, developer Playground Games discussed its partnership with Panic Button, and a new update coming dubbed "Realms."

"The PlayStation 5 version of Forza Horizon 5, developed by Panic Button Studios in partnership with Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games, will have the same content as the Xbox and PC releases of the game. Previously released Car Packs, as well as the Hot Wheels and Rally Adventure expansions, will also be available for purchase.

We are excited to see the Forza Horizon 5 community grow with new players on PS5, and we can't wait to see the creativity and skill these new creators, builders, and racers will bring to our vibrant community.

In addition to bringing Forza Horizon 5 to PS5, we’re working on a special new free content update for all platforms, Horizon Realms. Realms will give players the chance to explore a curated collection of some of the community’s favorite previously released Evolving Worlds, alongside some other surprises. Stay tuned to our channels for more details soon."

RELATED: Best racing wheels for Forza Horizon 5

Only yesterday, Microsoft talked to investors about the desire to turn Xbox into a business with higher profit margins, and one way to do that is to sell games. Forza Horizon 5 has likely done all it can do on Xbox Series X|S and PC at this point, so porting it to PlayStation is a sure-fire way to guarantee additional revenue and prestige for the franchise. What is less clear is how the degraded status of "Xbox console exclusives," particularly among its most iconic games, will impact hardware sales going forward. Already, Microsoft has seen decline after decline quarter over quarter with Xbox Series X|S hardware sales, and reducing the reasons to buy a console could potentially only further exacerbate that situation.

Regardless, Microsoft says it's all-in on next-gen Xbox console hardware, though, with Xbox CEO Phil Spencer describing a goal to win on hardware differentiation, rather than exclusive games.

Expect Xbox to expand more games across more platforms

Indiana Jones is coming to PS5 at some point in 2025. (Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)

While Xbox has technically been a third-party publisher to some extent since the Microsoft bought Minecraft developer Mojang in 2014, the company's third-party publishing plans have ramped up significantly in the past year. As noted, in 2024, Microsoft brought four previously console-exclusive Xbox games to PlayStation and Nintendo, including Rare's massive pirate simulator Sea of Thieves. The company also confirmed plans to bring Bethesda Softworks and Machine Games' Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to PlayStation 5 in 2025, a few months after its initial launch on Xbox and PC. We've also reported via our own sources that Xbox icon itself, Halo, is gearing up for a PlayStation debut. Forza is one of the "big three" iconic Xbox franchises, including Gears of War and Halo. With Forza heading across, it should shed all doubts that Xbox truly does have no red lines over what games will eventually move away from Xbox towards PlayStation.

RELATED: Inside the risky strategy that will define Xbox's next decade

Looking ahead, several (but not all) of the upcoming games in the Xbox first-party roster are planned to launch across PlayStation 5, including DOOM: The Dark Ages, The Outer Worlds 2, and Ninja Gaiden 4.

Xbox fans stand to benefit from Xbox Game Pass, however, which will save them potentially hundreds of dollars over time if they plan to play any game from the Xbox first party roster. Games like Avowed (launching in February), Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, State of Decay 3, and many more as-of-yet unannounced games will also hit Xbox Game Pass day and date — which remains best on Xbox console hardware arguably.

Xbox reportedly became the world's biggest publisher as of last month, so the strategy is doubtless paying dividends for shareholders. Whether or not it keeps Xbox's digital software store viable long term remains to be seen. What is confirmed is that Forza Horizon 5 is a certified banger, and it'll most likely find a huge new audience on the massive PlayStation ecosystem.

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Samuel Tolbert
Samuel Tolbert
Freelance Writer

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter @SamuelTolbert.

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5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Papictu
    Xbox Series is almost dead, in a year or two I imagine support for the system will cease and users will no longer have the confidence to use the Xbox Store. It's been a terrible generation for Xbox, they are seeding an impossible scenario for a next console to stand a chance.

    I've been playing on Xbox for 20 years, I hope that before it disappears they get some agreement with Steam or Playstation to be able to export our profiles to these systems and continue there, it would be very sad to see how the profiles, hours of gameplay and achievements unlocked are lost.
    Reply
  • RagingTyga
    I disagree, these past few years have been the best it's been to be an xbox user. There's been nothing but absolutely BANGERS available on GP, and they keep coming and it's very hard to keep up. Indiana Jones, Call of Duty BO6,Flinlock, Palworld, Ninja Gaiden Black 2, and games I never made it to, like Octopath Traveler 1&2 etc...Then you got Doom, Avowed, it's nuts.

    The only thing Microsoft is doing, is releasing these games on other platforms, which brings in revenue which helps cover the cost of putting them on Gamepass...which is genius in my opinion. Playstation and PC gamers are literally subsidizing the games that come out on Gamepass. The benefit is Microsoft doesn't have to worry about the Hardware sales, and they can focus on making the next gen hardware better when that comes, instead of just "good enough". Plus, it's helping them learn and gain ideas from what's happening in the market, especially now with Gaming handhelds
    Reply
  • fatpunkslim
    What is less clear is how the degraded status of "Xbox console exclusives," particularly among its most iconic games, will impact hardware sales going forward

    Forza Horizon 5 was released in 2021, 4 years later on playstation. Do you think a player is willing to wait 4 years to play a game? Basically like SOT, another GAAS, After reaching its full potential.

    What is the purpose of an exclusive game? To attract players to its ecosystem (gamepass or consoles or both, ....)! For it to work, this exclusivity period must be frustrating enough to push a player to go to your ecosystem. I think that from 1 to 2 years, it's sufficiently frustrating to push a player who wants to play this game to go to your ecosystem.

    So, a long enough temporary exclusivity has the same positive effect (or almost) as a permanent exclusivity.

    But does a permanent exclusivity exist? Who can today, on this industry situation, say that an exclusivity will be permanent? Even PlayStation can't, especially given the direction they are taking.

    It's fine that Forza Horizon 5 comes out on PlayStation. The game has reached its potential and has done its job of attracting players to Xbox.

    I think we won't have to wait long to hear about the release of Forza Horizon 6. And that would be very smart:
    The new revenues from Forza Horizon 5 will help amortize the development costs of Forza Horizon 6.
    It will help introduce the franchise to PlayStation players and make them want to play the sequel, knowing that FH6 won't be released on other platforms right away. It would create frustration and push players towards the Xbox ecosystem (Game Pass on PC and/or Xbox consoles).

    So it's a very good move ! (Moreover, all the buzz around an Xbox game going to PlayStation will only boost sales, it's really well played)
    Reply
  • fjtorres5591
    fatpunkslim said:
    Forza Horizon 5 was released in 2021, 4 years later on playstation. Do you think a player is willing to wait 4 years to play a game? Basically like SOT, another GAAS, After reaching its full potential.

    What is the purpose of an exclusive game? To attract players to its ecosystem (gamepass or consoles or both, ....)! For it to work, this exclusivity period must be frustrating enough to push a player to go to your ecosystem. I think that from 1 to 2 years, it's sufficiently frustrating to push a player who wants to play this game to go to your ecosystem.

    So, a long enough temporary exclusivity has the same positive effect (or almost) as a permanent exclusivity.

    But does a permanent exclusivity exist? Who can today, on this industry situation, say that an exclusivity will be permanent? Even PlayStation can't, especially given the direction they are taking.

    It's fine that Forza Horizon 5 comes out on PlayStation. The game has reached its potential and has done its job of attracting players to Xbox.

    I think we won't have to wait long to hear about the release of Forza Horizon 6. And that would be very smart:
    The new revenues from Forza Horizon 5 will help amortize the development costs of Forza Horizon 6.
    It will help introduce the franchise to PlayStation players and make them want to play the sequel, knowing that FH6 won't be released on other platforms right away. It would create frustration and push players towards the Xbox ecosystem (Game Pass on PC and/or Xbox consoles).

    So it's a very good move ! (Moreover, all the buzz around an Xbox game going to PlayStation will only boost sales, it's really well played)
    You realize logic is wasted on the fen, right?

    It's HORIZON not MOTORSPORT.
    4 YEARS OLD and a live service time sink; yet another way to eat into Sony's customers' money bags to fund the NextBox which now has another reason to come in 2026. 😎

    No date set yet for PS5 INDIANA JONES, right?
    My guess was June. Right after the big XBOX summer event, when XBOX gamers have moved on.
    Reply
  • CadErik
    This could revive the game and the multiplayer experience, esp since it is a 4+ year old game. This is one of my favorite racing games, from the intro, to the landscapes and some of the iconic locations - everybody wins having this one on PS5.
    Reply