Forza Horizon 5 Is Finally Coming To The PS5
In a shocker, Playground Games announced that Forza Horizon 5, which was once an Xbox exclusive, will be coming to the PS5 this spring. We’ve seen it happen with other Xbox exclusives like Sea of Thieves and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle which have made their way to the PS. Development and Content Panic Button is developing the PS5 version with Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games. The content will be the same as the Xbox and PC versions so you don’t need to worry as you’ll get the same day one Forza experience with Car Packs and Hot Wheels and Rally Adventure added. Xbox Strategy: Going Beyond Their Own Platforms The move aligns with a bigger Xbox strategy to take their gaming experiences beyond their own hardware. Xbox head Phil Spencer recently confirmed that they will support other platforms including the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. This is a big change for Xbox and could open up new markets and add to their player base. Financial Reasons Recent financials may also be a factor in Microsoft bringing Forza Horizon 5 to PS5. In their latest earnings call, Microsoft said that while Indiana Jones and the Great Circle got 4 million players, Game Pass on PC grew 30% and total gaming revenue was down 30% due to a 30% decline in console sales. So it looks like they may be focusing on growing Game Pass and using popular titles on other hardware to stabilize and grow their revenue streams. Why Forza Horizon 5? Forza Horizon 5 is the open-world racing series, not the simulation focused Forza Motorsport. This one takes you to the beautiful landscapes of Mexico and is a great mix of racing and exploration. The more arcadey racing, combined with the great visuals and dynamic weather, has appealed to both casual gamers and racing enthusiasts. Looking Ahead: What This Means For Gamers Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 is great news for PS owners who want to play one of Xbox’s best titles. It also means the exclusivity of the past may be a thing of the past and we may see a future where console owners can play their favorite franchises on more platforms. As Xbox starts to experiment with their ecosystem the playing field might just get more open and cross platform play might become the norm which is good for gamers everywhere. Source
Sony Is Secretly Working on New PlayStation 5 Handheld Console
SoPlayStation 5 Handheld: A Nintendo Switch Challenger In a new report coming from Bloomberg, Sony has already began development on a new PlayStation 5 handheld console that will go toe-to-toe against Nintendo’s Switch. But insiders familiar with the matter are now saying the project remains at an early stage, and plans could still change. In contrast, though work on Microsoft’s Xbox handheld is confirmed even by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer himself, it too is a couple of years away from release. Sony’s Legacy in Handheld Gaming Sony launched the PSP as its first handheld in various markets in late 2024. It found itself positioned against Nintendo’s DS directly. It did quite well, moving over 76.4 million units by 2012. These figures fell short of the DS, one of the most successful consoles ever.. Meanwhile, Sony launched PlayStation Vita in 2011 in Japan and in 2012 in the rest of the world. At that time, the PS Vita had state-of-the-art features but failed commercially. Sony stopped first-party game development on the platform in 2015. PlayStation Portal: A Peek into the Future of Sony Sony has recently released the PlayStation Portal. It has been a success for now, boasting decent sales, though it can do little else than stream games from the cloud. According to a report by Bloomberg, the Portal originally took inspiration from Valve’s Steam Deck-a handheld powerhouse capable of natively playing games-however, Sony eventually decided to go with something simpler. What to Expect from the New Handheld With no official information released, there has been much speculation on what Sony’s new handheld console will feature. Recently, tech outlet Moore’s Law Is Dead reported that Sony is potentially collaborating with AMD on the hardware aspect, which could result in the device emulating both PS4 and PS5 games. However, Bloomberg writes the device will likely only feature PS5 games because “playing PS4 games might not meet expectations when it hits the market.”. This can very well turn out to be that dramatic shift for Sony, right in the midst of Nintendo Switch and other such devices which have been monopolizing handheld gaming in the market. Competitive Gaming Landscape If Sony launches the PlayStation 5 handheld, that would be really interesting. The Nintendo Switch is the leader of portable gaming, touting a huge library of exclusives and a big active fan base. On the other hand, Microsoft’s Xbox handheld might be many years away but will bring another strong contender into the mix. Conclusion A handheld PlayStation 5 in the making would simply be further proof of Sony’s innovation within gaming. While the future of the project remains vague, this just goes to prove that it is a company willing to venture into more untapped markets, reimagining a handheld gaming legacy. Source: Bloomberg