When Forza hit the Xbox One generation of consoles, the fact that every car on the track was inspired by the play data of a real player seemed to evoke a shift in how multiplayerin the racing franchise would work. Even without your friends playing, they were there. Forza Horizon 5 is releasing this November, and the multiplayer is sounding more MMO-adjacent by the minute, with the dev team stating that the cars you see are real players.
During yesterday's Xbox + Bethesda showcase, the Forza Horizon 5 gameplay reveal got some real attention. But one point stuck with me as the lush deserts and colorful vistas of Mexico whipped past on the screen: everyone we saw on screen were real players.
Describing the scene, Playground Games' Creative Director Mike Brown, states that the players we see are real players zipping in and out of frame. Not every car on the road looks to be a player, but the vast majority of cars, including a few buggys flying overhead, are.
"Madi is behind the wheel of the AMG Project One Forza Edition in Mexico's lush, living desert; the perfect place to meet up with friends and head out for a drive. Thanks to the next generation of our Horizon Live Servers, everyone else we see here are real players."
The next in the Forza Horizon series will feature what Playground Games is calling its largest open world yet, set in the beautiful country of Mexico. The festival theme is alive and well, with players being able to take part in mini-games, races or even a full campaign mode together. You can also create your own maps and challenges for you and your friends to try, where you can even remake the "rules" of Forza themselves.
The multiplayer racer is set to launch on Xbox and PC this November 9th, with early access starting on the 5th for those who grab the premium edition. And like seemingly everything these days - it's hitting Game Pass.
