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

Microsoft has officially confirmed that playing *Forza Horizon 5* on the PlayStation 5 requires not just a PSN account, but also a linked Microsoft account. This requirement kicks in from the moment you first launch the game on your PS5, as detailed in the FAQ on the Forza support website. This approach aligns with the strategy used for other Xbox titles like Minecraft, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves when they were released on Sony's console.

This policy has sparked some controversy, particularly among advocates for game preservation like Does it play?, who argue that it could jeopardize the long-term accessibility of *Forza Horizon 5* on PS5. The concern is that if Microsoft were to discontinue the account linking process in the future without updating the game, players who have purchased the game might find themselves unable to play it. Furthermore, if a player loses access to their Microsoft account, they could be locked out of the game. The situation is compounded by Microsoft's decision to release *Forza Horizon 5* exclusively as a digital download on PS5, with no physical disc version planned.

The issue of mandatory account linking isn't new. Sony faced significant backlash when it initially required PC players of Arrowhead’s *Helldivers 2* to link a PSN account, a policy they later reversed following community outcry. In a similar vein, Sony announced in January that linking a PSN account would no longer be necessary for some of its PC games, though it continued to offer incentives for those who chose to do so.

The PS5 community's reaction to the *Forza Horizon 5* Microsoft account requirement has been mixed. Many are curious about whether the game supports cross-progression, especially given the mandatory Microsoft account linkage. Unfortunately, the FAQ clarifies that *Forza Horizon 5* on PS5 does not support save file transfers from Xbox or PC. This is consistent with the separation of game files between Xbox and Steam versions, where files are not synchronized across platforms. However, users can share user-generated content (UGC) across platforms, though editing is limited to the original creation profile. Some online statistics, like leaderboard scores, do synchronize when using the same Microsoft account across platforms.

*Forza Horizon 5* marks another step in Microsoft's strategy to bring its Xbox titles to rival consoles, reflecting a broader push towards multiplatform availability. Gamers can expect more such releases in the coming months.