Friends, we live in a really strange timeline. According to multiple sources, the next Xbox exclusive game heading to PlayStation will be announced next week, joining the likes of Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves.
The news comes via the very trustworthy Shinobi602. When responding to a user on ResetEra wondering when the next round of ported games would come out, Shinobi replied, “What are you doing next week?”
“I don’t know about many (games), but at least one big one,” Shinobi said, responding to someone who guessed that Killer Instinct would be one of “many” games.
Of course, with Gamescom 2024 taking place next week, it seems like the timing is right for something big to happen.
Speculation about what the game might be began to swirl, with many suggesting Forza Horizon 5. A quote from popular Game Pass leaker eXtas1 tweeted an image of a Shinobi horse, along with a gif that read “feliz cinco de mayo.” The Mexican reference helped fuel the idea that Horizon 5 would be the announced game, as it is set in Mexico.
Since eXtas1s’ tweet got a lot of attention, he went on to discuss the topic further. He made it clear that Forza Horizon 5 is coming to PlayStation and that it “won’t be too long.” He said, “Announcement? This week, next week, or any other week, it doesn’t matter, but as my GIF confirms and as many of my colleagues have already confirmed, it will be coming to PS5 in a few months.”
Please keep in mind that his comments have been translated into English and may not be 100% accurate.
While eXtas1s is incredibly reliable in all aspects of Game Pass, it’s also worth remembering that when it comes to specific topics, he misses more often than he hits.
However, Windows Central’s Jez Corden says, “My sources say Forza will not be announced on PlayStation next week,” adding that he couldn’t confirm “what games will be ported next week.”
Meanwhile, Mike Straw of Insider Gaming has heard that Forza Horizon 5 is one of the games planned for a PlayStation port, but he can’t say for sure when that might be.
Previously leaked on Amazon.co.uk, it briefly stated that Forza Horizon 5 for PlayStation 5 will be released on September 27, 2024. Five other formats were also listed, including Nintendo Switch. However, this could have been the result of an unreliable search engine and a mistake by Amazon.
Given the mixed signals coming from these insiders, it seems like there’s a slight chance that Forza Horizon 5 will be coming to Sony’s machines soon, but Horizon 5 isn’t the big announcement next week. So what? My personal guess is that it’s an Indiana Jones game that Xbox is going to release to maximize the money they can make from the license.
Putting Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation would be a huge step forward for Xbox, because the Forza brand is as much a cornerstone of Xbox as Gears of War. Seeing the Forza name appear on a Sony console would feel like a defeat, a kind of surrender, for Xbox.
