No, this is not a dream. No, this is not a glitch in the matrix. Microsoft has indeed decided on a move that would have seemed absurd just a few years ago – Forza Horizon 5, one of the highest-rated racing games, is coming to PlayStation 5. Yes, you read that right. The game that has so far been a hallmark of the Xbox ecosystem will now also be available to owners of Sony's console. What does this mean for the market? And is this the beginning of a larger change?
Exclusivity? Who needs it?
For years, we've gotten used to the division between "greens" and "blues," meaning Xbox and PlayStation. Some played God of War, others played Halo. But times are changing. Microsoft has been suggesting for a while that exclusivity is not as important as it once was. After all, Game Pass, which works on PC, Xbox, and even in the cloud, shows that the giant from Redmond wants to have players everywhere – regardless of the hardware. However, Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation is something more. It's the first time such a large, exclusive series from Xbox is coming to a competing platform. Adding to this are rumors about Starfield on PS5 or even Halo for Sony, so one can confidently say that we are heading towards a new era.
Why is Microsoft doing this?
The answer is simple: money. Sony and Nintendo have a huge user base, and game sales on those consoles are enormous. If Microsoft limited its brands only to Xbox, it would be restricting its potential profit. This can be seen in the moves of companies like Bungie, which after years of exclusivity on Xbox finally started releasing games on all platforms. Besides, is Xbox really losing out on such a move? Doubtful. Game Pass still provides an amazing offer for Xbox players, and higher sales of Forza on PS5 or the new Switch 2 console means more money for future projects. It's a situation where Microsoft likely doesn't have much to lose.
What do the players think?
This is the most interesting question. Xbox fans may feel a bit betrayed because exclusivity was one of the reasons to choose this platform. But on the other hand – will PlayStation owners suddenly start complaining that they get one of the best racing games of recent years? Probably not. On the contrary – they will celebrate.
However, there are voices saying that exclusivity built the identity of the consoles. Sony has its "PlayStation Studios" and series like The Last of Us, while Xbox had its gems. If Microsoft now opens its games to other platforms, will it not lose its uniqueness? We will only know the answer to this question in a few years.
What's next?
Interestingly, there are also rumors circulating online that the iconic racing game is soon to be announced for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, which the Japanese recently revealed. If that happens, it will be another groundbreaking step in Microsoft's strategy, which is increasingly moving away from the exclusivity of its biggest titles. If Forza Horizon 5 performs well on PS5, who knows – maybe more Xbox games will make their way to Sony's console? Perhaps we'll see Gears of War on DualSense, and Master Chief running around PlayStation Network? The possibilities are endless, and the only certainty is that the boundaries between platforms are becoming increasingly blurred.
We live in interesting times for gaming. And now excuse me, I'm going to fire up Forza… maybe any day now on PS5?
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