Forza Horizon 5 Heads to PS5 with Free Horizon Realms Update

About a month ago, Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios confirmed that Forza Horizon 5, their highly praised open-world racing game, would be available on PlayStation 5 this year. Now, they’ve officially disclosed its specific launch date. Furthermore, they’ve provided additional information about the free Horizon Realms update, which will simultaneously roll out for all players.

Forza Horizon 5 will debut on PlayStation 5 on April 29, 2025, with early access starting April 25 for those who pre-order the $99.99 Premium Edition of the game. Pre-orders are currently open on the PlayStation Store. You can choose from three versions: the base game at $59.99, the Deluxe Edition at $79.99 with an extra 42 cars from the Car Pass, or the Premium Edition for $99.99, which includes two DLC expansions, a VIP membership, and additional perks.

Regardless of which version of Forza Horizon 5 you choose to pre-order for your PS5, you’ll receive some enticing pre-order incentives. In every early purchase, Playground is including the 2021 Mercedes-AMG Mercedes-AMG ONE, the car featured on the game’s cover, as a bonus item. Additionally, you’ll get 5,000 Forzathon points which can be used to buy cars and cosmetic items, and five Backstage Passes that can be spent in the rare Backstage Shop on unique vehicles.

Alongside the release of Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 on April 25, we’ll see the debut of the Horizon Realms update – a significant overhaul that introduces a brand new Horizon Stadium Circuit track and reintroduces 11 beloved locations from previous Evolving World expansions.

  • Stunt Park 
  • Ice Rink 
  • Oval Track 
  • Summer Party 
  • Neon Airstrip
  • Día de Muertos 
  • Winter Wonderland 
  • Lunar Drift Arena 
  • Retrowave Highway 
  • Cars and Coffee 
  • Stadium Maze

In Forza Horizon 5, you’ll have the opportunity to win fresh honors by speeding through a variety of legendary automotive arenas. By completing these challenges, you will gain access to four exciting new vehicles set to join the expansive roster:

1. The 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto
2. The 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato
3. The 2018 Lotus Exige Cup 430
4. The 2022 Hennessey Mammoth 6×6

Enjoy the thrill of driving these fantastic vehicles once they’ve been unlocked!

Across the vast expanse of Horizon Realms, I come across two distinct play modes: Skill Mode and Free Mode. The former is geared towards competitive players, offering Skill Score rankings and collectible player badges. On the other hand, Free Mode caters to a more relaxed gaming style, allowing you to leisurely traverse each familiar location with companions, while accumulating older player badges and Forzathon points. For a comprehensive breakdown, I’d recommend heading over to Playground’s blog post.

Playground Games has unveiled a separate DLC called “Nissan Retro Rides Car Pack” for their game, which won’t be part of Horizon Realms. This add-on is set to launch simultaneously with the upcoming update and the PS5 release. The pack features four iconic Nissan vehicles: the 1989 Nissan Pao, 1991 Nissan Figaro, 1989 Nissan Scargo, and the 1987 Nissan Be-1. Interestingly, if you’ve already purchased the Ultimate Car Pack Collection, you will receive this pack automatically at no extra cost.

Forza Horizon 5 is finishing strong

As an analyst, I can say that Forza Horizon 5 has been a monumental triumph for Microsoft and Xbox, yet with the 2021 game being several years old, it’s evident that Playground Games are likely immersed in developing a comprehensive sequel. Despite this, the beloved open-world racer is wrapping up its run quite robustly.

The game, Forza Horizon 5, along with its revisited locations in Horizon Realms, is a significant tribute to the series and an exciting milestone. As it’s about to launch on PS5, many gamers will get to experience one of the top Xbox games and PC games created this decade.

In a way that might draw criticism, Microsoft is choosing to bring an Xbox exclusive to the PlayStation platform. However, considering their goal of making the Xbox business more lucrative, transferring a game that may no longer be selling well on Xbox systems to a fresh market seems like a logical move.

If you’ve never tried Forza Horizon 5 before, this upcoming PS5 release offers a chance to dive in; otherwise, it can be accessed through Xbox Game Pass across Xbox, PC, and mobile devices (with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or via Xbox Cloud Gaming). It’s worth mentioning that the base game on Xbox and PC is currently selling for $36.69 at CDKeys, which is a substantial discount from its original price of $59.99.

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2025-02-27 22:39