Forza Horizon 5 Should Hit PlayStation

Put simply, there's nothing on PlayStation 5 quite like Forza Horizon 5.

The Crew Motorfest? It's close. Embracing the 'if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em' philosophy, its festival vibe makes Motorfest more akin to the Forza Horizon series than its predecessors.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown? Unfortunately, no. While the Forza Horizon series owes much to the pioneering MMO racing of the original Test Drive Unlimited, Solar Crown's always-online requirement and lack of solo play set it apart. Forza Horizon has offered a seamless transition between offline and online play since Forza Horizon 2 in 2014.

Need for Speed Unbound? It boasts an impressive customization suite that outshines Horizon in some areas, but its focus on high-speed chases makes it a different beast altogether.

No, the undisputed champion of modern open-world racing is Forza Horizon 5, now available on PlayStation 5 for the first time. Its vast, beautiful Mexican landscape, drift-friendly vehicle dynamics, and a garage boasting over 900 cars, including cult favorites not found elsewhere, set it apart. PlayStation users are diving into this experience, many for the very first time.

The reaction has been fun to watch.

This influx of brand new players is something the team has eagerly anticipated.

"Yeah, I’m super excited," says Playground Games art director Don Arceta. "For many, this will be their first Forza Horizon game. It's thrilling to think about their initial experiences, much like ours when we first played."

Arceta is particularly eager to see what PlayStation 5 players will create using Forza Horizon 5's extensive Event Lab customization tools.

"You’ll actually get some pretty good Halo content too on the PlayStation, with the event lab props!" he adds. "We now have over 800 props in the Event Lab, and the community's creativity with this feature has been mind-blowing. I’m excited to see what the PlayStation 5 community will build and the creativity they'll bring."

The PlayStation 5 port is technically impeccable, matching its Xbox and PC counterparts despite the game's size and the fact that its engine was never used on PlayStation before.

"As you can imagine, adapting the series from Xbox's environment and architecture was a huge task," says Arceta. "Bringing it to the PS5 was no small undertaking. It was a significant effort."

"The PlayStation 5 version was developed by Panic Button, in collaboration with Turn 10 and ourselves. Panic Button did an amazing job, ensuring you get the same quality experience on PlayStation as on Xbox and PC."

Personally, I've always seen the Forza series as the ultimate collection of Hot Wheels. No other racing series offers such a diverse range of cars, from the well-known to the obscure. As a car enthusiast, I'm thrilled at the prospect of new players discovering their favorite cars in Forza Horizon 5.

For Playground Games lead game designer David Orton, it's the sheer breadth of Forza Horizon 5 that he believes will captivate new players.

"The breadth of Horizon is quite staggering," says Orton. "Players can find what they enjoy most, and the game's freedom allows for a personalized experience."

"Horizon is the space where everyone is welcome, and there's something for everyone," he continues. "We pride ourselves on giving players the agency to do what they want, and the game rewards them accordingly. Whether you're into road racing, Rivals, track racing, photography, or creating content with Event Lab, Horizon caters to all. The realization that this is more than just a racing game is what excites me."

"For me, a victory would be hearing players say, 'I can’t believe I’ve never played this game before,'" says Arceta. "That surprise is what we're aiming for."

"That surprise leads to engagement and a desire to learn more," he adds. "Hearing their stories and their delight is what we're looking for."

Orton agrees, emphasizing the welcoming nature of the game.

"Yeah, that's it," he adds. "Players new to Horizon, whether due to platform differences or time constraints, will discover a warm, fun-filled world. The realization that 'Oh my goodness, how have I never played this game before?' is a win for us. We're targeting a new cohort of players who may never have played a Forza title. It's an exciting unknown, but given our history of perfecting our craft, we're thrilled to bring this to PlayStation and introduce a whole new group of players."

If there's any hobby more tribal than car culture, it's the loyalty to gaming consoles. For racing game fans, however, one significant barrier has been removed.

Let's hope it's not the last.