No Forza Horizon 5 on PS4 Due to Air-Tight Xbox Exclusivity

ByJames Dorn Last Update on

As a racing game fan, you‘ve likely wondered – "why is smash hit Forza Horizon 5 still not on PlayStation 4 in 2024?". As a proud Xbox exclusive, licensing, technical and strategic business factors firmly keep ultra-popular open world racer Forza Horizon 5 locked to Xbox and Windows platforms only – dashing PS4 owners hopes.

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Over 500 Car & Music Licenses – For Xbox Only

Industry insiders estimate that Playground Games has inked complex licensing agreements with over 100 motoring brands and manufacturers to feature over 500 vehicles in Forza Horizon 5. Renegotiating each car make and model would be near impossible for PS4. The soundtrack album spanning rock, pop and hip hop would also require totally separate music licensing deals not covered under Xbox. Forza‘s expensive array of brand partnerships like Ford, Xbox and Adidas also possibly limit any non-Xbox release.

PS4 Hardware Far Too Weak for Forza Horizon 5 Demands

An analysis of Forza Horizon 5‘s minimum PC specs versus the PlayStation 4‘s 7-year old AMD Jaguar processor and 1.84 TFLOP GPU shows a staggering technology gap. The sheer computing grunt needed to render FH5‘s 4K visuals at 30 FPS alone likely rules out the aging last-gen console. And that‘s before considering its immense open world. With the state-of-the-art Xbox Series X able to utilize advanced DirectX 12 graphics libraries too – porting to the PS4 could simply prove an unacceptable visual downgrade.

Strategic Importance of Forza Exclusivity for Xbox

Evidence clearly shows that Forza exclusivity strongly incentivizes gamers to enter the Xbox ecosystem. Reuters reported Horizon 5 led to the highest first-month sign-ups ever to Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. Surveys reveal racing fans choosing Xbox over PlayStation primarily to gain access to Forza releases. Given its system-selling status, Microsoft likely sees locking Forza IP like Horizon to its platforms as crucial in competing against Sony‘s cross-gen dominance.

PlatformCPUGPU Compute
PlayStation 4AMD Jaguar 1.6 GHz 8-Core1.84 TFLOP AMD GCN
Forza Horizon 5 MinimumIntel i5-4460 / AMD Ryzen 3GTX 970 / RX 470 4GB
Forza Horizon 5 IdealIntel i7-3820 / AMD Ryzen 5GTX 1070 8GB / RX 590 8GB

Ultimately while Playstation racing fans may feel disappointed, exclusivity to Microsoft‘s cutting-edge hardware allows the Forza Horizon series to keep innovating and setting new standards of open world excellence unrestricted. And with über-realistic racers like Gran Turismo 7 and Need for Speed Unbound exclusively on amazing PS5 hardware – PlayStation still provides plenty of asphalt action too.

James K. Dorn, a passionate gamer deeply immersed in the world of video gaming. My journey in gaming is not just about playing; it's about exploring every facet of the games I love. I am particularly fascinated by the intricate worlds of role-playing games like "The Witcher" series and "Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," where every decision shapes the story.

As a strategy game enthusiast, I spend hours devising tactics in games like "Civilization VI" and "StarCraft II," always eager to share my strategies with fellow gamers. I'm also an ardent follower of the ever-evolving landscape of indie games, finding gems like "Hollow Knight" and "Celeste" that offer unique, compelling experiences.

My content isn't just reviews; it's about deep dives into game mechanics, storytelling, and the art of game design. I love dissecting the narratives of games like "The Last of Us" and discussing the innovative gameplay of titles like "Death Stranding."

Being at the forefront of gaming news, I eagerly anticipate and share insights on upcoming releases like the next big open-world adventure or the latest in the "Final Fantasy" series. My goal is to build a community where we not only play games but also appreciate the artistry and effort behind them. Join me in this gaming journey, where every session is an adventure, and every game is a story waiting to be told.

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