Is the Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition Worth Buying?
Yes, I wholeheartedly recommend the Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition for passionate racing fans and content creators. Keep reading as I expand on why it packs tremendous value.
As an avid Forza player and gaming YouTuber myself, I‘ve bought every Horizon entry on day one. And without fail, I always spring for the Premium tier.
Even with a $40-50 price hike over Standard, you get way more than your money‘s worth in extras. This time is no exception.
Diving Into What‘s Included
Let‘s break down everything bundled in Forza Horizon 5‘s Premium package:
Early Access
- Play 4 days early on November 5
- Get a headstart on content and racing online
Car Pass
- 42 new cars added weekly
- Huge variety – trucks, hypercars, off-roaders
- Over 50% more value than buying separately
VIP Membership
- 3x credit rewards per race
- 2x car mastery XP
- Super Wheelspins, gifting car vouchers
- Exclusive Forza Hub content and Bonus Boards
Expansions Bundle
- Access to Hot Wheels park coming 2023
- Rally-themed Mexico Expedition expansion
- Adds massive new open world areas to explore
Welcome Pack
- 5 exclusive cars like 2021 Bronco Badlands
- Plus player house, emotes, 2x credit bonuses
Edition Comparison – What You Get
Let‘s see how Premium gives far more content than Standard or Deluxe in this chart:
| Edition | Base Game | Early Access | Car Pass | VIP Perks | Expansions | Welcome Pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Deluxe | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Premium | Yes | 4 days | Yes | Yes | 2 | Yes |
No contest! Premium delivers almost every DLC imaginable to enhance and extend the experience.
Why The Car Pass is a Must
As an avid car collector inFH4 myself, the Car Pass is practically essential for exclusive rides.
Over 21 weeks post-launch, Playground will add 2-3 fresh vehicles every week – from classic Ferraris to modern hypers. That tallies up to over 40 new cars.
If bought separately, that much DLC would cost almost double – around $40 by my estimate. So by itself, the Car Pass represents big savings.
And considering Horizon‘s huge 750 car roster, 42 extra curated choices is a significant 6% expansion of your garage options!
VIP Status – Perks That Pay Off
While cars are FH5‘s main draw, VIP membership focuses on making the overall racing experience faster, richer and more rewarding.
As a content creator, the main draw for me is 3x credit payouts per event. Given a 20 minute race even earns ~100,000 normally, that means ~300,000 CR earned per run!
That means reaching FH5‘s $20M+ elite cars will take a third less time – key when making videos about the rarest rides.
VIP also brings:
- 2x Car Mastery XP – faster skill unlocks
- Bonus Super Wheelspins – up to 300 extra spins
- Exclusive Mods – Instant braking, nitrous refills
- 5x #Forzathon points – faster weekly rewards
Plus you get recognizable VIP Crown player icons to show off your status and loyalty in multiplayer.
If bought separately, 12 months of VIP would cost $20 – so this alone makes the Premium upgrade worthwhile.
Early Access – Should You Use It?
Thanks to Premium early access, I was racing FH5 96 hours sooner than most – but was it worthwhile?
Absolutely. Those 4 early days were critical for producing launch videos to reach fans right away. I racked up a huge headstart collecting cars and smashing races before rivals.
That said, early access appeal depends on your priorities:
Casual players may not need to pay $40 extra for only 4 days sooner. But for FH veterans and content creators like myself racing to cover new features, it‘s practically vital for maximizing audience and gaining an edge over the pack.
Either way, early access is a nice bonus delivering exactly what it advertises – just view it as the cherry on top of Premium‘s already-generous package.
Expansions – Game-Changing DLC Inbound
While FH5 already flaunts best-in-class variety across jungle rainforests to barren deserts, Playground is expanding that map further with two big-budget expansions confirmed so far:
Hot Wheels
If you played it in FH3, you know how insanely fun battling physics to race on Hot Wheels‘ iconic orange tracks can be. This time around the course count has doubled for more gravity-defying stunts. Can‘t wait!
Expedition Mexico
An all-new rally expansion, Expedition Mexico adds a rugged mountain terrain perfect for racing rally cars. Other key details are still under wraps, but expect significant new gameplay and scenery additions.
We don‘t know exact pricing yet, but judging by FH4‘s expansions costing $20 each – bundled here you‘re likely saving $15-20 minimum.
Wrapping Up – Premium Wins By a Mile
For only $30 above Standard Edition‘s $60 base price, Premium Edition hands you over $100 in DLC extras and bonuses. Considering Horizon extras usually sell for ~$10-20 each, that‘s frankly an unbelievable value – essentially giving away $100+ in add-ons.
If you‘re anything beyond a casual racer and want to maximize cars, rewards and content, Premium is practically essential. Between early access, DLC expansions, hugely boosted rewards and a gigantic car pass, serious fans will easily recoup value beyond the premium purchase price.
So if you play Forza religiously like myself,Premium Edition is absolutely worth the cost! Buy it the minute preorders open and you certainly won‘t regret it.
Let me know what you think of Horzion 5‘s edition tiers so far, and if you‘ll be upgrading! I read every comment, so feel free to share your thoughts.
