Microsoft has posted both PC system requirements and new screenshots for Forza Horizon 5, which is launching November 8, 2021. The bottom line is that virtually any recent gaming rig should satisfy the game's demands, but maximum detail and resolution will necessitate higher-end hardware, of course.
At Xbox's E3 2021 showcase on June 13, Forza Horizon 5 was a centerpiece alongside Starfield, Halo Infinite, and the newly revealed The Outer Worlds 2. The game's setting is switching to Mexico, and will offer hundreds of street and off-road vehicles, as well as unique scenery including sandstorms and volcanoes. A signature feature addition is the Event Lab, which will let players build their own unique races and game modes, such as obstacle courses and even battle royale. As usual, the series is aiming for photorealistic levels of detail down to the needles on cacti.
In terms of CPU power, Forza players will have to own at least a 3.7 GHz Intel Core i3-4170, a 2.67 GHz i5-750, or an AMD FX-6300. They will also need 8 GB of RAM and 2 GB of video memory (the Microsoft Store lists the Nvidia GTX 760 and AMD RX 460 as baseline graphics cards). The only other demand is Windows 10, updated to May 2019 or later. In practice, however, barely meeting requirements often results in a poor experience on PCs. Achieving both smooth framerates and high detail will automatically entail more recent components, such as Nvidia's RTX 30-series GPUs, especially for players wanting to hit 4K resolutions. Getting those upgrades may be complicated by supply chain shortages and aggressive cryptocurrency miners, though, who often snap up GPU shipments as soon as they're available.
On the console side of things, Forza Horizon 5 is mainly intended to be a flagship for the Xbox Series X/S, which is less than a year old. It will also however run on the Xbox One X and original Xbox One, even though that system dates back to 2013. Perhaps not coincidentally, that's the same year the GTX 760 was launched - the RX 460 only arrived in 2016. Both the PC and Xbox versions of the game will likely benefit greatly with the use of compatible racing wheels.
When new hardware releases, driving games are often used as showcases and tech milestones, whether from Microsoft, Sony, or GPU makers. While the Forza Horizon 5 PC screenshots don't reveal anything extra in terms of gameplay, they do highlight lighting, car detail, draw distance, and environmental effects like smoke and rain. In one shot, for example, a Mitsubishi Lancer is burning out at night, the glow from its pipes and taillights illuminating a smoke trail. Such scenes could make the game a visual benchmark for PCs and consoles alike.
Forza Horizon 5 will be available for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on November 9, 2021.
Source: Microsoft Store