You’ll need to cozy up with Microsoft to play Forza Horizon 5 on PS5, as the game requires a permanent link between your PSN and Microsoft accounts. This digital driver’s license isn’t optional – it’s your ticket to cross-platform racing through virtual Mexico. While the requirement enables shared leaderboards and multiplayer features, some fans worry about long-term access if Microsoft ever pulls the plug. There’s more under the hood of this unexpected partnership.

While PlayStation fans enthusiastically anticipated the arrival of Forza Horizon 5 on PS5, they’ve hit an unexpected speedbump that’s causing quite a stir in the gaming community. You’ll need to buckle up and prepare for a surprising requirement: a Microsoft account is mandatory to hit the virtual roads of Mexico, even on your beloved PlayStation 5.
This isn’t just a casual pit stop in your gaming journey – it’s a permanent commitment. When you first fire up Forza Horizon 5, you’ll be prompted to link your PSN account with a Microsoft account, and once you’ve made that connection, there’s no switching lanes. It’s a bit like getting married in Vegas, minus the Elvis impersonator and the ability to get an annulment.
The implications of this requirement stretch far beyond mere inconvenience. You might be wondering about the future of your favorite racing game, and you’re not alone. Game preservation enthusiasts are raising red flags about Microsoft’s potential power to pull the plug on PlayStation access, should they ever decide to take their ball and go home. Adding to these concerns, the game is releasing as a digital-only title, with no physical version available.
It’s like building your dream garage on someone else’s property – they could technically evict you at any time.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. This setup actually enables some pretty impressive features, including cross-platform play with your Xbox and PC friends, shared leaderboards, and access to a massive library of user-generated content.
You’ll be able to race against players across all platforms, though you can’t transfer your existing save files from other systems – sorry, no importing your meticulously tuned vehicles.
The game launches in two waves: Premium edition racers get to hit the track on April 25, while Standard edition players join the party on April 29.
Whether you’re a casual cruiser or a hardcore racing enthusiast, you’ll get the full Forza experience, complete with all the expansions and racing modes you’d expect.
Just remember, you’ll need that Microsoft account ready before you can rev up your engines – consider it your digital driver’s license for this cross-platform racing adventure.