Burnin’ Rubber
Microsoft is celebrating the launch of its excellent racing sequel Forza Horizon 5, calling its November 9 release date the biggest launch day in Xbox Game Studios’ history. Xbox’s VP of Gaming, Phil Spencer, took to Twitter to relay his joy.
“We’ve invested for years in Xbox so more people can play,” wrote Spencer. “With 4.5+ million players so far across PC, cloud & console, Forza Horizon 5 shows that promise coming to life. Largest launch day for XGS game, peak concurrent 3x [Forza Horizon 4] high. Thank you players & congrats to [Playground Games].
Spencer’s reference to “4.5+ million players” will refer to those who purchased a launch day copy of the racing sequel, those who picked up $100 Premium Edition for November 5 early access, and those playing via the online subscription service Xbox Game Pass. Given Spencer’s comments that Forza Horizon 5 has peaked at three times the high of its predecessor, it can be assumed that staggering revenue has already been earned by the title mere days into its launch.
Forza Horizon 5 is inarguably one of 2021’s most visually stunning releases, featuring dazzling environments and near photo-realistic vehicles. Praise has also been directed at the title by critics and fans for its huge array of customization features, as well as its strong implementation of inclusivity and accessibility options — such as deep driver bio choices, and smart initiatives including an on-screen sign language interpreter. Scoring high across the board, Forza Horizon 5 is considered a nigh-on essential purchase for racing fans.
Forza Horizon 5 is widely available now on PC and Xbox platforms.
