Forza Horizon 5 isn’t exactly new, but it’s been impressively well-supported by Xbox Game Studios and Playground Games, with consistent updates continuing to this day. This recent update may very well be the most significant yet—not only because of the sheer number of additions, but also because it marks the debut of the longtime Xbox exclusive on a new platform.

Let’s break down the finer details, and if you stick around, we’ll also take a look at how updates like this one are part of a bigger trend sweeping the video game industry.

Related

Microsoft Is Adding Sign Language to Forza Horizon 5

Microsoft is making an unexpected accessibility change to Forza Horizon 5 on Xbox.

Everything Horizon Realms Adds to Forza Horizon 5

Forza Horizon 5’s latest update, Horizon Realms, is packed with content—so much so that it might just be the largest update the almost-four-year-old game has seen yet.

To start, Horizon Realms brings back 11 previously limited-time Evolving World locations as permanent fixtures. If you’re a Forza Horizon 5 veteran, you’ll be able to revisit old favorites from past events. Or if you picked up the game recently, you now have a whole range of new places to explore, including:

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

But that’s not all! Horizon Realms also introduces the brand-new Stadium Track. On top of that, the update adds 17 new achievements, 45 new accolades, and 12 new badges.

Earning these accolades will unlock four fresh vehicles:

• 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto
• 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato
• 2018 Lotus Exige Cup 430
• 2022 Hennessey Mammoth 1000 6×6 TRX

And finally, there’s a new DLC Car Pack featuring a lineup of classic Nissans:

• 1997 Nissan BE-1
• 1991 Nissan Figaro
• 1989 Nissan Pao
• 1989 Nissan S-Cargo

Forza Horizon 5 Crosses Over to PlayStation 5

Perhaps even more exciting than the Horizon Realms content itself is what’s happening alongside it: Forza Horizon 5 is now officially available on PlayStation 5.

Once one of the few remaining exclusives from Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios, Forza now follows in the footsteps of Sea of Thieves by making the leap to PlayStation. Now, the nearly two-decade-old franchise can finally be enjoyed by PlayStation owners.

To top it all off, cross-play functionality is enabled from the get-go, allowing Xbox, PC, and PS5 players to hit the highways together.

Forza Horizon 5 Shows Where Gaming Is Headed

The Horizon Realms rollout for Forza Horizon 5 is another reflection of the live-service and multi-platform approach that’s reshaping the games industry.

Forza Horizon 5 originally launched in 2021, and here it is, still receiving major updates in 2025. But in today’s gaming landscape, that’s becoming the norm. Developers are expected to continue supporting their games long after release. Otherwise, players will quickly move on to titles that offer post-launch content and ongoing support.

While Sony has been reluctant to port its exclusives to Xbox (though it has started bringing franchises like God of War, Horizon, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us to PC), Xbox has fully embraced the multi-platform strategy through its Project Latitude initiative. Microsoft isn’t as focused on exclusivity anymore—instead, it’s prioritizing getting its games into the hands of as many players as possible. And for gamers, that’s something worth celebrating.

Hopefully, this trend continues, with Microsoft leading the way—and maybe someday, Sony and Nintendo will follow suit, creating a world where publishers and players alike are part of one big, happy gaming family.

Source: Xbox Game Studios