To play Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5, you’ll need a Microsoft account, according to the game’s official announcement.
As stated in a FAQ on the Forza support site, “Yes, in addition to a PSN account, you’ll need to link to a Microsoft account to play Forza Horizon 5 on PS5.” This linking process starts the first time you open the game.
This requirement matches other Xbox titles on PlayStation, like Minecraft and Grounded.
However, some gamers are not happy about it. A group called Does it play? expressed concerns on social media, suggesting that this could harm the game’s long-term availability on the PS5.
One major worry is that if Microsoft stops supporting account linking, players could lose access to Forza Horizon 5, even if they purchased it. There’s also the risk of losing access if your linked Microsoft account is lost or forgotten. Additionally, the game will only be available digitally, with no physical copies planned.
Sony faced criticism before for requiring PC players of Helldivers 2 to link a PSN account, but they changed their policy after feedback from fans. Earlier this year, they announced that linking would no longer be needed for some PC games, but rewards would be given for those who chose to link.
The response to the Forza news from the PS5 community has been mixed, with many curious about whether game progress can transfer across platforms due to the Microsoft account requirement.
Unfortunately, the FAQ page clarifies that save files from Xbox or PC won’t carry over to the PS5 version. Microsoft notes that this is also true for Xbox and Steam versions where save files are kept separate.
Players can create user-generated content (UGC) on one platform and download it on another, but editing is only possible on the original platform. Some online stats like leaderboard scores can sync if you use the same Microsoft account.
Forza Horizon 5 is part of Microsoft’s effort to broaden its game offerings on other consoles. Expect more cross-platform releases in the future.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. You can find him on Twitter at @wyp100 or reach him via email at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
