Microsoft has officially confirmed that playing *Forza Horizon 5* on PlayStation 5 requires a Microsoft account in addition to a PSN account. This requirement was detailed in a FAQ on the Forza support website, which states: "Yes, in addition to a PSN account you’ll need to link to a Microsoft account in order to play Forza Horizon 5 on PS5. This process begins the first time you start up the game on your console." This policy aligns with other Xbox games released on Sony’s platform, such as *Minecraft*, *Grounded*, and *Sea of Thieves*.

The announcement has stirred some controversy within the gaming community. The preservation advocacy group, Does it play?, voiced concerns on Twitter, stating that this requirement "basically kills preservation for the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 5." The core issue is the potential for the game to become unplayable if Microsoft ever discontinues its account linking process without making the game independently playable. Additionally, there's a risk that players could lose access to the game if they lose access to their Microsoft account. The fact that *Forza Horizon 5* will be released digitally on PS5, without a physical disc version, further amplifies these concerns.

The situation with *Forza Horizon 5* draws parallels to a recent controversy involving Sony’s requirement for PC players of *Helldivers 2* to link a PSN account, a policy that was reversed due to significant online backlash. In contrast, Sony had earlier announced that linking a PSN account would not be mandatory for some of its PC games, though it offered incentives for those who chose to link their accounts.

The PS5 community's response to the Microsoft account requirement for *Forza Horizon 5* has been mixed, with many players questioning whether the game supports cross-progression. Unfortunately, the FAQ clarifies that *Forza Horizon 5* on PS5 does not support cross-progression with Xbox or PC versions. Microsoft noted that this is consistent with the game's behavior between Xbox and Steam versions, where save files remain separate and unsynchronized.

While user-generated content (UGC) can be published on one platform and downloaded to play on another, editing is only possible on the original creation profile. However, some online statistics, such as leaderboard scores, are synchronized across platforms when using the same Microsoft account.

*Forza Horizon 5* marks another step in Microsoft's strategy to bring Xbox titles to rival consoles, signaling a broader multiplatform initiative that is expected to continue expanding in the coming months.