Microsoft has revealed that the launch of Forza Horizon 5 has been the biggest ever for Xbox Game Studios, with 4.5 million players joining the game on its first day.
The highly anticipated racing game is now available to play on PC, cloud, and console. Notably, it was also released on day one on the Xbox Game Pass platform.
This move has allowed thousands of players, who would typically need to purchase the game on launch day, to access it. The impact of this decision is clear.
In a tweet on Wednesday, Phil Spencer stated that the company’s strategy to make the game accessible to as many players as possible, via the cloud or Game Pass, regardless of their ability to afford or obtain a top Xbox Series X console, is paying off.
For comparison, Spencer noted that the peak concurrent players for Forza Horizon 5 are three times greater than those of Forza Horizon 4 on its launch day in September 2018.
This achievement is a significant success for Microsoft and will likely position Forza Horizon 5 as the next-gen game that has reached the widest audience by the end of the year.
Although our Forza Horizon 5 review is yet to be published, our hands-on experience last month left a “glorious first impression” on Trusted Reviews‘ deputy editor Max Parker.
“It’s a visual delight on Series X, with enjoyable and approachable gameplay that always feels varied,” stated Max in his initial verdict.
Thus far, the game, set in the stunning landscapes of Mexico, has attained an impressive 92 score on metacritic, earning the “must play” recommendation based on reviews from various sources.
