Despite the fact that Forza Horizon 5 doesn’t officially release until tomorrow, November 9, 2021, the title can now brag that it already has one million players. Those purchasing the Premium Edition of the game for $99 or Xbox Game Pass subscribers purchasing the Premium Add-Ons Bundle for $50 can enjoy early access privileges. Despite the somewhat hefty price tags, players aren’t being held back from pushing the pedal to the metal in this incredibly detailed racing title. The game is also selling like hotcakes over on Steam, and there’s no doubt that tomorrow will see an even more dramatic bump in players. Still, props to Playground Games for creating something so magnetic and ridiculously gorgeous.
Across social media, Forza Horizon 5 has seen praise for its accessibility features including both ASL and BSL sign language support, which will be added in an update shortly after launch. Other features include game speed modifications, subtitles, a color blindness mode, and text-to-speech options for voice chat. In a recent blog post, Creative Director Mike Brown detailed these options. “We want everyone in the world to be able to experience our game, and with more than an estimated 400 million gamers with disabilities across the globe, it is vital that all players be able to tailor their gameplay in a way that works best for them,” he stated.
The newest installment of the Forza series takes place in Mexico, chosen by the development team for its diverse landscape. Playground Games partnered with Mexican artists and musicians to bring a feeling of authenticity to the title and sent a team to Mexico to capture real-world sky and light data. The game was originally announced at E3 2021 during the Microsoft and Bethesda showcase.
Forza Horizon 5 is scheduled to officially release tomorrow, November 9, 2021, on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Those who purchased the Premium Edition or the Premium Add-Ons Bundle as an Xbox Game Pass subscriber can play the game now via early access.
