Forza Horizon 5 is the latest entry to the Forza Horizon series. This is a prestigious franchise of racing games that has long defined what it is to be an Xbox owner. Each one has offered the best graphics possible on the system, and this entry follows that pattern. It looks stunning, has a tonne of gameplay features to keep players engaged, and a load of new additions for even series veterans to struggle around. In this guide, we’ll explain the Forza Horizon 5 release date, plus all the other details that you should know before the game comes out.
What is the Forza Horizon 5 Release Date?
Forza Horizon 5 launches on November 9, 2021. That gives you very little time to eagerly await what will easily be the best racing game this year. It was revealed at E3 2021, and will be coming extremely soon. The graphics were the first thing that struck us for the game. It looks as good as any other entry on an Xbox Series X/S, a true level above anything else. The game even stands a chance of playing better on Xbox than it will on PC. Once you’ve finally got your hands on it, there’s going to be little that can hold you back from investing all of your time in your profile there.
Setting
If you’ve seen anything about this game, it can’t have escaped you that it’s going to be set in Mexico. This is a part of the world that has a lot of space to explore, and very little going on in it. That leaves it open for miles and miles of driving at high speed with zero interruptions. Perfect for any Forza Horizon entry, but more so for this one that focuses most on the visuals. You’ll have access to all sorts of vehicles as usual, so exploring the vase new open world will be easy. Players should be excited for what’s coming in this brand new open world in the franchise, one that will be filled with more content than they’ll be able to wrap their heads around.
Seasons Return
Forza Horizon 5 will see the return of the seasons mechanic. This isn’t a season mechanic in the sense that the game will have new content every seven weeks or so. No. Instead, it means that the game’s world will be changed by the actual seasons of the year. There are eleven biomes in total, and each one shifts through spring, summer, fall, and winter. You’ll have more or less rain to deal with, changes to the landscape, storms, and so much more. Ice may even become a problem in some parts, because there’s nothing holding it back here. You’re driving through open desert for a good chunk of the game, a place where there are no gritters or other societal tropes to make your life easier. You’ve got to cope with what the world throws at you depending on the time of year.
More Cars
It wouldn’t be a Forza Horizon game without the addition of new and interesting cars. One of the vehicles from the game’s early trailers is the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE. This car is touted as the most efficient hybrid of Formula-1 technology, something that you shouldn’t take lightly when ragging it around the open world of Mexico. This car will actually be a huge part of the game in the lead up to launch, so pay attention if you want to learn more. Of course, there are loads of other cars, ranging across all types and brands, allowing you to race wherever you want to.
Story
Believe it or not, Forza Horizon 5 has a story. There’s a rich campaign that’s interesting and filled with characters to meet. You even get to make choices that determine the outcomes of specific events. This isn’t something that you’d usually look for in a racing game, at least not one outside of the Need for Speed franchise. However, it’s there, and it’s a core part of your experience. Just like every entry in the franchise though, you’ll earn progress to your profile simply by playing. It doesn’t matter what mode therefore, if you want to spend all of your time in the story, you can do just that.
Multiplayer
The multiplayer elements of Forza Horizon 5 are vast and wide. The game has a traditional multiplayer setting, in that you can jump into an event and take on a series of competitions with others. You may even begin to compete against Drivitars, the avatars of other players that have been created based on their performance in the game. As you play, you’ll unlock new challenges and rewards, and grow your overall profile. Maybe your Drivitar will even beat someone some day.
Next, you have the social aspects of the game. You can build a version of a car and leave the blueprint for someone else to find. You can also trade rims or collect parts strewn around the world. This massive open space has been used to the best degree, making it one of the most fulfilling driving experiences you can get. Even if you just link up with someone else, you’ll earn a small reward. The game likes to give out prizes for pretty much everything, something that’s not common to see in most games today.
Events
It’s likely that Forza Horizon 5 will host events just like all past games. This should include actual events to compete in within the world, but also online multiplayer events. Usually there are tournaments that you can complete a series of in order to earn a specific vehicle. This is the bulk of the content that most players stick around for. It’s far from easy to earn, but it’s well worth doing if you’re a dedicated driving enthusiast. These events will almost always be associated with time-limited rewards, so you should pay attention to them when they crop up. As for whether there are additional in-game seasons of content to work through, we’ll have to wait until the game is out before we can tell.