Forza Horizon 5 Reaches 45 Million Players Ahead of PlayStation 5 Launch

Forza Horizon 5 has crossed the 45 million player mark, according to the game's Hall of Fame leaderboard. This milestone comes just before the racing game's upcoming PlayStation 5 release on April 29, 2025.

The popular open-world racing game has shown steady growth since its initial release in November 2021 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Xbox Game Pass.

Looking at the player count history reveals a consistent upward trend:

• 44 million players in February 2025

• 40 million players in July 2024

• 37 million players in February 2024

• 35 million players in December 2023

• 32 million players in August 2023

• 30 million players in May 2023

• 20 million players in June 2022

• 15 million players in January 2021

• 10 million players in its launch week

This growth represents approximately half a million new players joining each month in early 2025. The game's availability on Xbox Game Pass since day one has likely contributed significantly to its widespread popularity by making it easily accessible to subscribers.

Set in a beautifully recreated version of Mexico, Forza Horizon 5 offers players a diverse and vibrant open world to explore. The game features 11 distinct environments including jungles, deserts, beaches, volcanoes, and cities such as Guanajuato. Players can race through these varied landscapes in over 700 vehicles from manufacturers like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Ford.

Forza Horizon 5's success can be attributed to its perfect blend of arcade accessibility and simulation depth. This balance makes it appealing to both casual players and dedicated car enthusiasts.

Since launch, the game has received two major expansions. The Hot Wheels expansion arrived in July 2022, introducing sky-high tracks in a Hot Wheels-themed park. The Rally Adventure expansion followed in March 2023, focusing on off-road rally racing in a new region called Sierra Nueva.

The upcoming PlayStation 5 version marks a significant milestone for the franchise, as it will be the first time a Forza title appears on a non-Xbox console. The PS5 release will include both the base game and its expansions, optimized for Sony's hardware.

When Forza Horizon 5 first launched, it received critical acclaim with a 92/100 score on Metacritic. Critics praised its stunning visuals, accessibility features, and open-world freedom. The game even won IGN's Game of the Year award in 2021 and continues to be a benchmark for racing games.