Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5 requires players to have a Microsoft account in addition to their PSN account, a policy that aligns with other Xbox games released on Sony's console such as Minecraft, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves. This requirement was confirmed via an FAQ on the Forza support website, which states that players must link their Microsoft account the first time they start the game on their PS5.
This policy has sparked some controversy. The group Does it play?, focused on ensuring game and hardware accessibility, expressed concerns on social media, suggesting that the Microsoft account requirement could jeopardize the preservation of the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 5. The worry is that if Microsoft discontinues its account linking process in the future without making the game playable without a Microsoft account, the game could become unplayable. Additionally, players who lose access to their Microsoft account might find themselves unable to play Forza Horizon 5 on their PS5. This concern is heightened by the fact that Forza Horizon 5 will only be available digitally on PS5, with no physical disc version planned.
The requirement for a Microsoft account has also led to questions about cross-progression within the PS5 community. According to the FAQ, Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 does not support cross-progression with Xbox or PC versions; save files do not transfer between platforms. Microsoft clarified that this is consistent with the behavior between the Xbox and Steam versions of the game, where game files remain separate and unsynchronized. However, user-generated content (UGC) can be published on one platform and downloaded for play on another, though editing is only possible on the original creation profile. Some online statistics, like leaderboard scores, are synchronized across platforms if players use the same Microsoft account.
The necessity of a Microsoft account for Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 mirrors a previous controversy involving Sony's requirement for PC players of Helldivers 2 to link a PSN account. Sony eventually reversed this decision following significant online backlash. In contrast, Microsoft has maintained its stance on the account linking for Forza Horizon 5, which is part of its broader strategy to release Xbox games on competing platforms. As Microsoft continues its multiplatform push, more Xbox titles are expected to launch on rival consoles in the coming months.
