Forza Horizon 5 Shifts Gears: Now Available on PlayStation 5
How a former Xbox exclusive reached a new audience—and what it means for car game enthusiasts
In a bold move that breaks nearly two decades of platform exclusivity, Forza Horizon 5 has officially launched on PlayStation 5. First released in 2021 for Xbox and PC, the open-world racing title now brings its vibrant festival of speed to an entirely new community of players—over 75 million strong.
The milestone arrives just as the Forza franchise celebrates its 20th anniversary. What began with Forza Motorsport in 2005 as Microsoft’s response to Gran Turismo has grown into a dual-franchise empire. While Motorsport caters to sim-racing purists, Horizon carved its niche with accessible physics, rich visuals, and a celebratory tone that blends car culture with music and exploration.
Porting a Moving Target
Translating Forza Horizon 5 to the PlayStation ecosystem was a significant technical undertaking. “Our engine was built with Xbox architecture in mind,” says art director Don Arceta. “Every part of the code is deeply tied to that ecosystem.”
To meet this challenge, Playground Games collaborated with Panic Button, the studio renowned for porting technically demanding titles. “They’re absolute wizards,” Arceta adds. “During testing, we had to label the screens just to remember which version we were looking at.”
The result is a version that rivals—if not matches—the Xbox original. Reviewers have praised its performance and visual fidelity, calling it one of the most polished racing titles available on PS5.
A Growing, Evolving World
But Forza Horizon 5 isn’t just a static game—it’s a constantly evolving live service. Since its original release, it has added hundreds of new vehicles, community events, and downloadable expansions. “We’re up to over 900 cars now,” says lead designer David Orton. “And everything you get on Xbox, you’ll get on PS5. That includes the Rally Adventure expansion, the Hot Wheels DLC, and all the weekly Festival Playlists.”
The game also introduces Horizon Realms, a new feature combining fan-favorite locations and experiences across seasonal updates—everything from winter ice rinks to retro-inspired neon highways.
A Moment of Symmetry
The timing of the PS5 launch feels especially fitting. As the franchise marks 20 years, it’s opening its doors wider than ever. For Arceta, the moment is personal. “My first real experience was with Horizon 3 on Xbox One. I remember hitting the beach in the Lamborghini Centenario—it just blew me away.”
Orton recalls Horizon 1, and the emotional impact of its opening moments: “Hearing Porter Robinson’s ‘Language’ on the title screen, with that world opening up—it was electric. I was working at another studio at the time, and I looked up where Playground Games was located. They were right across the park from me. I thought, ‘That’s where I need to be.’”
The Road Ahead
With its arrival on PS5, Forza Horizon 5 becomes more than an Xbox success story—it becomes a genre-defining experience accessible to millions more. It’s a celebration of driving, of car culture, and of the joy that only the open road can offer—real or digital.
