Forza Horizon 5 PS5: Microsoft Account Required

To play Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5, you'll need a Microsoft account in addition to your PlayStation Network account, as confirmed by Forza support. This requirement mirrors the policy for other Xbox games on PlayStation, such as Minecraft, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves. The initial setup requires linking your accounts when you first launch the game.

This policy has sparked debate, with concerns raised about long-term accessibility. Some worry that if Microsoft discontinues account linking in the future without updating the game, the PS5 version could become unplayable. Loss of access to a linked Microsoft account also poses a risk. These concerns are amplified by the game's digital-only release on PS5; there's no physical disc option.

Similar controversies arose with Helldivers 2 on PC, where a required PSN account link was later reversed following player backlash. While Sony subsequently removed the PSN account requirement for some PC games, offering incentives for those who continued linking, the reaction to Forza Horizon 5's requirement has been mixed.

Many PS5 players are curious about cross-progression. Unfortunately, Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 does not support save file transfers from Xbox or PC. This mirrors the separate save file system between Xbox and Steam versions. While user-generated content (UGC) can be shared between platforms, editing requires using the original save profile. However, some online statistics, like leaderboard scores, are synchronized using the same Microsoft account.

Forza Horizon 5's multiplatform release is part of Microsoft's broader strategy, suggesting more Xbox games on rival consoles are likely in the future.