Forza Horizon 5 PS5 Release Urged

Simply put, no PlayStation 5 racing game captures the magic of Forza Horizon 5.

The Crew Motorfest comes close. Embracing the "if you can't beat them, join them" mentality, its full-fledged festival vibe aligns it closer to Forza Horizon than its predecessors ever did.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown? Unfortunately not. While the Forza Horizon series owes much to the groundbreaking MMO racing of the original Test Drive Unlimited, Solar Crown pushed the always-online concept too far—lacking a dedicated single-player mode when Horizon has offered seamless offline-to-online transitions since Forza Horizon 2 in 2014.

Need for Speed Unbound? Its deep customization surpasses Horizon in some ways, but Unbound’s arcade-style police chases make it a different beast entirely.

Forza Horizon 5 remains the undisputed king of open-world racing—now making its PlayStation 5 debut. Its breathtaking Mexican landscape, precision-tuned drifting physics, and unrivaled garage of 900+ cars—packed with rare gems absent elsewhere—deliver the complete package. PlayStation players are diving into this world, many for the very first time.

Watching their reactions has been a delight.

The team has eagerly anticipated welcoming this wave of newcomers.

"I'm genuinely thrilled," shares Playground Games art director Don Arceta. "For countless players, this will be their introduction to Forza Horizon. It takes me back to that first-time excitement we all felt."

Arceta can’t wait to see PlayStation 5 players unleash their creativity with Horizon 5's Event Lab customization tools.

"With over 800 Event Lab props, the community's ingenuity continues to astound us. Imagine what fresh ideas PlayStation players will bring."

He adds with a smile: "Plus, they'll discover some fantastic Halo-themed content through those props!"

Remarkably, the PS5 port maintains the technical excellence of its Xbox and PC versions—an impressive feat given the game's massive scale and untested PlayStation architecture.

"Transitioning from Xbox-focused systems was monumental," explains Arceta. "Panic Button’s collaboration with Turn 10 and our team delivered that flawless Horizon experience PlayStation players deserve."

As a lifelong car enthusiast, I’ve always cherished Forza’s unmatched collection of dream machines—both iconic and obscure. The thought of PlayStation players discovering automotive gems overlooked by other franchises excites me tremendously.

Playground Games’ lead designer David Orton believes Horizon 5’s staggering variety will win hearts.

"Horizon’s freedom is breathtaking," Orton observes. "Players carve their own path—whether that’s competitive racing, photography, or crafting experiences in Event Lab. This isn’t just a racing game; it’s a playground where everyone belongs."

"For me, success looks like players saying, ‘How did I miss this?’" shares Arceta. "That moment of surprise hooks them—they crave more."

Orton agrees wholeheartedly. "When newcomers discover Horizon’s warmth and depth—regardless of why they’ve waited—that’s our victory. We’re introducing Horizon’s magic to an entirely new audience."

In gaming’s tribal landscape, few divides run deeper than console loyalties. Yet racing fans just witnessed a major barrier fall.

May it be the first of many.