Forza Horizon 5 PS5: Microsoft Account Required

Playing Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5 requires a Microsoft account, as confirmed by Microsoft. This is detailed in their Forza support FAQ: "Yes, in addition to a PSN account, you’ll need to link to a Microsoft account to play Forza Horizon 5 on PS5. This begins when you first start the game."

This mirrors the account linking requirement for other Xbox games on PlayStation, including Minecraft, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves. However, this policy has sparked controversy, with concerns raised about game preservation. Some worry that future discontinuation of Microsoft's account linking process, without a corresponding game update, could render the PS5 version unplayable. Loss of access to a linked Microsoft account also poses a risk to gameplay, particularly given the game's digital-only release on PS5.

This situation echoes the backlash against Sony's now-reversed requirement for PSN account linking in Helldivers 2 on PC. While Sony initially mandated account linking, they later reversed the policy after online criticism. In January, they announced that PSN account linking would no longer be required for some PC games, although they offered incentives for those who chose to link accounts.

Reaction to the Forza Horizon 5 Microsoft account requirement on PS5 has been mixed. Many players are questioning whether the mandatory link enables cross-progression. Unfortunately, the FAQ clarifies that Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 does *not* support save file transfers from Xbox or PC. This mirrors the separate save file structure between Xbox and Steam versions. While user-generated content (UGC) can be shared across platforms, editing is only possible on the original save profile. However, some online statistics, like leaderboard scores, are synchronized if you use the same Microsoft account.

Forza Horizon 5 represents Microsoft's continued multiplatform push, with more Xbox games expected to launch on rival consoles in the coming months.