PS5 will receive a Forza Horizon 6 port later this year, but Microsoft will likely be kicking itself for not having the version ready to make an even bigger splash during next month's initial launch.
This is because the success of the previous entry on PS5 has really been brought into focus with a sales update: Forza Horizon 5 sold over five million copies on PS5 alone in less than a year.
The statistic had been floating around previously, as per some reporting from Alinea Analytics, but a much more reliable source has now come forward: the official website of the game's support developer, Virtuos.
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Having provided engineering and art production assistance on the project, the Virtuos site says: "Forza Horizon 5 was one of the best-selling titles on PlayStation 5 in 2025, surpassing 5 million copies sold on the platform and earning widespread acclaim with a 92 Metacritic score.
With a Japanese setting and a considerable amount of excitement backing Forza Horizon 6 ahead of its initial 19th May 2026 launch on Xbox Series X|S and PC, a PS5 version day and date with other platforms would probably cause an even bigger splash.
Over 40 million people have played Forza Horizon 5 in some capacity, so the sixth instalment is expected to be just as big. The counterpoint Microsoft will be looking to is Forza Horizon 6 will receive a huge sales boost some months down the line as it arrives on PS5 later this year. Its post-launch expansions should arrive on PS5 day and date with Xbox and PC, so their sales stats will be combined.
As for why Forza Horizon 6 isn't releasing on PS5 on day one, while Fable — also from Playground Games — is, Xbox executives have picked up on the inconsistency and want to fix it going forward.
"We only have a certain amount of…ultimately, it all comes down to resources. Not everything is limitless. So we just want to do the best job, by each platform, by each game," said Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan.
Are you waiting for the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 6 or jumping in next month on Xbox or PC? Tell us your plans in the comments below.
[source virtuosgames.com]
Comments 17
Yeah I mean they will surely loose some sales but at the end of the day exclusivity is really important isn't it?
Nothing beats that initial launch hype / FOMO for boosting sales. I wonder how much they will be missing out on here given the size of the PS userbase.
Its not even like they will see any benefit of a period of pre-announced / advertised exclusivity.
Those sales of FH5 were years after the day 1 release on Xbox. It seems playstation folks will get into Forza Horizon no matter the release date.
I mean if we go by how well Forza Horizon 5 did on PS5, waiting 6 or 12 months should do no harm at all.
People will wait for great games. PC players will wait and extra year or so for GTA6 because they know it will be worth it.
I prefer a late release: The worst bugs and balancing issues are solved, the release can be accompanied by a major content update, and with a bit of luck there is a physical release (of this matured version).
Hasn't it been reported a fair bit that the game was to far along in development to get the playstation release out the door at the same time as the Xbox release??
Either way if Forza horizon 5 launched on playstation years after the Xbox edition did going by that logic it won't make a lick of difference to sales??
Considering Microsoft is a trillion dollar company and Sony isn't, I'm sure they will manage. lol.
It'll still sell like hotcakes on PS5. And the PS5 sales won't cannibalise Xbox sales (or GamePass "engagement numbers").
If anything they're probably happy to do it this way.
FH5 is still fresh in my memory so I'm happy to wait for 6 and even better a sale at some point!
@Romans12 Microsoft is a trillion dollar company (is it?) because of great sales, not because they don’t care about the sales.
Omg someone who isn't Sony having timed exclusives, this will not stand, grab the pitch forks!
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Is a shame but not the end of the world. I plan on streaming it at launch and until we get a firm date on the PS version. Thankfully they have cross save this time so won't be to bad of a wait hopefully
@Dodoo FH5 is still fresh in my head too, but I'd probably day one it when it comes out. It's already in my wishlist!
I think if Microsoft did not have so many games they intend to release this year, and of course with GTA 6 and other big third-party games still to come, then they would have delayed FH6 until the PS5 version was also ready.
I actually think that having this period of accidental exclusivity will hurt sales because many PlayStation gamers will choose to play FH6 via Game Pass instead of buying it outright on the PS5. In many ways, I think Microsoft will be kicking themselves that another game was not ready in time to take the place of FH6 this May...
They should have ported 4 too. Adore that game.
@Max_the_German in the case of Forza yes, but not Starfield it would seem.
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