Forza Horizon 5 Should Hit PlayStation

Simply put, there's nothing quite like Forza Horizon 5 on the PlayStation 5.

The Crew Motorfest comes close. It fully embraces the festival vibe, making it more akin to the Forza Horizon series than its predecessors by adopting a similar approach.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, on the other hand, doesn't quite hit the mark. While Forza Horizon owes much to the pioneering MMO racing of the original Test Drive Unlimited, Solar Crown's always-online requirement and lack of a solo mode fall short of Horizon's flexibility. Since Forza Horizon 2 in 2014, players have enjoyed seamless transitions between offline and online play.

Need for Speed Unbound boasts an impressive customization suite that outshines Horizon in some areas. However, its focus on high-speed chases and arcade-style racing means it's not a direct competitor to Forza Horizon 5's open-world racing experience.

No, the undisputed champion of modern open-world racing is Forza Horizon 5, and it's now available on PlayStation 5 for the first time. The expansive and breathtaking Mexico map, the drift-friendly vehicle dynamics, and a massive garage with over 900 cars, including cult favorites not found in other games, make it a complete package. PlayStation users are diving into this rich experience, many for the very first time.

The reaction has been thrilling to watch.

This influx of new players is something the team at Playground Games 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 exciting to think about what our first Horizon experiences were like."

Arceta is particularly interested in the creations PlayStation 5 players will make using Forza Horizon 5's extensive Event Lab customization tools.

"We have over 800 props now in the Event Lab, and the creativity of the community is mind-blowing," he adds. "I'm excited to see what PlayStation 5 users will build and the creativity they'll bring."

"You'll actually get some pretty good Halo content too on the PlayStation, with the event lab props!"

The port to PlayStation 5 has been executed with the same technical excellence as its Xbox and PC versions, a significant achievement given the game's size and the fact that the engine was new to the PlayStation platform.

"As you can imagine, because the series has been based around the Xbox environment and architecture, there's a lot of code and engineering that's worked with that," says Arceta. "Bringing it to the PS5 was a huge task."

"The PlayStation 5 version was developed by Panic Button, in collaboration with Turn 10 and ourselves, but Panic Button did an amazing job. So you get that amazing, quality experience that you get on Xbox and PC – now you get on the PlayStation, and it's just amazing work that Panic Button has done."

As a car enthusiast, 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. I'm thrilled that a new group of players might discover their favorite cars in Forza Horizon 5.

Playground Games lead game designer David Orton emphasizes the game's vast scope as a key attraction for new players.

"The breadth of Horizon is quite staggering," says Orton. "Players can find what they enjoy, and with so much freedom, it can be whatever they want it to be."

"We always pride ourselves on giving the player that kind of agency and freedom to do whatever they want, and the game will reward them and react in that way. I'm really looking forward to players discovering the breadth of the content. Whether you want to focus on road racing, Rivals and track racing, taking incredible photos, or creating content in Event Lab for others, Horizon is a welcoming space where everyone can find something they love. The realization that this is more than just a racing game is what excites me."

"For me, a victory would be players saying, 'I can't believe I've never played this game before.' That surprise is what I'm looking for," says Arceta. "Once they're surprised, they're engaged – and they want to learn more. Hearing their stories and their delight is what I'm after."

Orton agrees, adding, "Players who've never tried Horizon before, whether due to platform differences or time constraints, will find it a warm, welcoming place full of fun. Realizing, 'Oh my goodness, how have I never played this game before? This is incredible,' that's a win for us. We're about to reach a new group of players who may have never played a Forza title. There's an unknown element to their reactions, but given our history of perfecting our craft, we're excited to bring this to PlayStation and attract a whole load of new players."

If there's any hobby more tribal than car culture, it's video game console loyalty. For racing game fans, however, one major barrier has been broken down.

Let's hope it's not the last.