Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 Needs Microsoft Account, Like Other Xbox Games on Sony Consoles

Forza Horizon 5, now available on PlayStation 5, requires players to have a Microsoft account in addition to their PSN account. This was officially confirmed through a FAQ on the Forza support website, stating, "Yes, in addition to a PSN account you’ll need to link to a Microsoft account in order to play Forza Horizon 5 on PS5. This process begins the first time you start up the game on your console."

This requirement aligns with the policies of other Xbox games that have been released on the Sony platform, such as Minecraft, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves. However, the decision has stirred some controversy within the gaming community. The organization Does it play?, which advocates for the accessibility and preservation of games, expressed concern on Twitter, noting that this "basically kills preservation for the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 5."

The crux of the issue lies in the potential future unplayability of Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 if Microsoft were to discontinue its account linking service without ensuring the game remains playable without a Microsoft account. Additionally, there's a risk that players might lose access to their game if they are unable to access their linked Microsoft account. This concern is heightened by the fact that Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 will be released digitally, with no physical disc version planned.

The requirement for a Microsoft account has sparked mixed reactions among the PS5 community, with many curious about the game's cross-progression capabilities. Unfortunately, the FAQ clarifies that Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 does not support save file transfers from Xbox or PC. Microsoft explains that this is consistent with the game's behavior between Xbox and Steam versions, where game files remain separate and unsynchronized.

However, players can upload user-generated content (UGC) on one platform and download it to play on another, although editing is only possible on the original creation profile. Some online statistics, like leaderboard scores, are synchronized across platforms as long as the same Microsoft account is used to log in.

Forza Horizon 5 marks another step in Microsoft's strategy to expand its gaming portfolio across multiple platforms. As part of this multiplatform push, we can expect more Xbox titles to be released on rival consoles in the coming months.