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ToggleRumor: Forza Horizon 5 Might Be Coming to PlayStation 5. Here’s What We Know
Forza Horizon 5 might be hurtling towards PS5 after Industry insiders reveal that Redmond’s Xbox-exclusive title is expected to hit Sony next, leading fans and even the ill-willed individuals into an uncontrolled chain of excitement & questions!
But, all the way back in April 2020 we started hearing murmurs of Forza Horizon coming to PS5.
Rumors of Forza Horizon 5 potentially coming to PlayStation 5 started last year when leakers NateDrake and Shinobi602 implied that more Xbox games would be revealed for other platforms — like the game might not be exclusive forever. Extas1 also reported a Forza Horizon 5 rumor heading to PlayStation, and despite not mentioning the title by name in his claim it aligned with what he had heard.
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On the GamingLeaksandRumours subreddit, additional statements from extas1s shared in a tweet by user MXHombre123 indicate “Forza Horizon 5… will see daylight not too long!… It arrives for PS5 in just a few months as it has been already officially confirmed with my GIF and many colleagues backed up!!”
Insider Gaming also stated that backing up its own claim, it had heard from sources saying Forza Horizon 5 is scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5 as well. Should these rumors be correct, an announcement wouldn’t come too long from now; perhaps at a gaming event in the near future.
The GT Head-to-Head That Could Be
Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 would challenge Sony’s racing juggernaut, Gran Turismo Although the two franchises have been longtime competitors, they’ve never appeared on the same console until now. In theory, this has the potential to alter the balance of power on PlayStation’s racing games charts by pitting their free-to-play offering against one another.
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Race Against Time: The Licensing Dilemma
But this plan faces one major obstacle: licensing. As you’d expect in a racing game, Forza Horizon 5 has got licenses for all the cars appearing in the game — and it’s also received music licensing as well. The duration of these licenses is typically shorter, about 4 years. As this game is based on 2021, licences could start to expire as soon for Forza Horizon 5.
It should be noted that the issue of licensing isn’t just a problem for Forza Horizon. This is no doubt in response to Microsoft starting the process of de-listing Forza Horizon 4, which came out in 2018 last month. Though some fans have taken shots at Microsoft for this, it’s something of an industry standard and similar to other franchises such as Gran Turismo – which was also removed recently with the delisting of Gran Turismo Sport.
The question, if it does end up on PS5, is how long Forza Horizon 5 would be available. That gives PlayStation players the game for another six years – though if Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios actually renew their licenses, perhaps to around 2027.
What This Means for PS Fans
PlayStation fans would certainly be stoked to have Forza Horizon 5 on their system, particularly since it represents the latest in big Xbox title making its way over to Sony consoles. Still, the fun factor is undoubtedly high on this one — assuming it sees wide release and substantial longevity before leaving due to licensing issues.
While nothing’s official until the LL has sung, one thing is for certain: video games are getting more complicated all of the time; differentiating between platform exclusives is becoming only slightly less difficult than snake sorting in an eel pond. If Forza Horizon 5 will eventually come to the PlayStation panels stay to be seen, but it is a development worth of looking at.