Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 Requires a Microsoft Account, as Other Xbox Games on Sony’s Consoles Do

To play Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5, you'll need a Microsoft account, in addition to your PlayStation Network account. This is confirmed by Forza support, and is consistent with other Xbox games released on PlayStation, such as Minecraft, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves. The linking process begins upon first launch.

This requirement has sparked some controversy, particularly regarding game preservation. Concerns exist about the game's long-term playability if Microsoft discontinues account linking or if a player loses access to their Microsoft account. These concerns are amplified by the game's digital-only release on PS5.

While Sony faced criticism for a similar policy with Helldivers 2 on PC (since reversed), the reaction to Forza Horizon 5's requirement is mixed. Many PS5 players are also questioning cross-progression.

Unfortunately, Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 does *not* offer cross-progression with Xbox or PC versions. Save files are platform-specific and not synchronized. However, user-generated content (UGC) can be published on one platform and downloaded on another, although editing is only possible on the original save profile. Some online statistics, like leaderboard scores, *are* synchronized if you use the same Microsoft account.

Forza Horizon 5's PS5 release is part of Microsoft's broader multi-platform strategy, and we can anticipate more such releases in the future.