Forza Horizon 5 enthusiasts eager to race on PlayStation 5 will need to link a Microsoft account to their PSN account, as confirmed by the official Forza support website FAQ. This requirement mirrors the approach taken with other Xbox games such as Minecraft, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves on Sony's platform. The process kicks off the first time you launch the game on your PS5 console.
This move has stirred some controversy, especially among preservation advocates. The group "Does it play?" expressed concerns on Twitter, stating that the Microsoft account linkage "basically kills preservation for the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 5." Their worry stems from the possibility that the game could become unplayable if Microsoft discontinues the account linking feature in the future without updating the game to work independently. Additionally, there's apprehension about what happens if players lose access to their Microsoft accounts, especially since Forza Horizon 5 will be available exclusively in digital format on PS5, with no physical disc option.
The requirement for a Microsoft account on PS5 has sparked mixed reactions within the community. Many are curious about cross-progression, but according to the FAQ, Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 does not support save file transfers from Xbox or PC. This aligns with the game's behavior between Xbox and Steam versions, where save files remain separate and unsynchronized.
While user-generated content (UGC) can be shared across platforms, it can only be edited on the original profile where it was created. However, certain online statistics, like leaderboard scores, do sync across platforms if you use the same Microsoft account.
Forza Horizon 5's launch on PS5 is part of Microsoft's broader strategy to expand its games to rival consoles. Expect more Xbox titles to follow suit in the coming months.
