Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 Needs Microsoft Account, Like Other Xbox Games on Sony Consoles

Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5 requires a Microsoft account, a policy that has stirred some debate within the gaming community. The confirmation came directly from the Forza support website's FAQ, stating, “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 the approach taken for other Xbox titles on Sony’s console, such as Minecraft, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves.

The necessity of a Microsoft account for playing Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 has sparked controversy, particularly among preservationists. The organization Does it play?, which advocates for the ongoing accessibility of games and hardware, tweeted that this policy “basically kills preservation for the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 5.” Their concern centers on the possibility that the game could become unplayable if Microsoft discontinues its account linking process without making the game accessible without a Microsoft account. Additionally, players worry about losing access to the game if they lose their linked Microsoft account. These concerns are heightened by the fact that Forza Horizon 5 will be available exclusively in digital format on PS5, with no physical disc version planned.

The requirement for a Microsoft account on PS5 has led to mixed reactions among players, with many questioning whether the game supports cross-progression. Unfortunately, according to the FAQ, Forza Horizon 5 for PS5 does not support cross-progression, meaning save files from Xbox or PC cannot be transferred. Microsoft has clarified that this is consistent with the behavior between the Xbox and Steam versions, where game files remain separate and unsynchronized. While user-generated content (UGC) can be shared across platforms, it can only be edited on the original profile it was created on. Some online statistics, like leaderboard scores, are synchronized if players log in with the same Microsoft account.

Forza Horizon 5 represents Microsoft's ongoing effort to bring Xbox games to rival consoles as part of a broader multiplatform strategy. Players can expect more titles to follow suit in the coming months.