Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 Requires a Microsoft Account, as Other Xbox Games on Sony’s Consoles Do

Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5 requires players to have a Microsoft account in addition to their PSN account, a policy confirmed via an FAQ on the Forza support website. The FAQ states, "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 Microsoft's approach for other Xbox titles on Sony's console, such as Minecraft, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves.

This decision has sparked some controversy, particularly among advocates for game preservation. The group Does it play? expressed concerns on Twitter, suggesting that the mandatory Microsoft account link "basically kills preservation for the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 5." Their worry stems from the potential that the game could become unplayable if Microsoft discontinues the account linking process without updating the game. Additionally, players risk losing access to their game if they lose their Microsoft account. This concern is heightened since Forza Horizon 5 will only be available digitally on PS5, with no physical disc version planned.

The requirement for a Microsoft account has led to mixed reactions within the PS5 community, with many questioning whether the game supports cross-progression. According to the FAQ, Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 does not support cross-progression; save files from Xbox or PC cannot be carried over. This is consistent with the game's behavior between Xbox and Steam versions, where game files are not synchronized across platforms. However, users can publish and download user-generated content (UGC) across platforms, though editing is only possible on the original save profile. Some online statistics, like leaderboard scores, are synchronized when using the same Microsoft account.

Forza Horizon 5 marks another step in Microsoft's strategy to release Xbox games on rival consoles, a trend expected to continue with more titles in the coming months.