Players of Forza Horizon 5 are sharing their shock after discovering NPCs will use their real names, despite not inputting them into the game. The phenomenon has been seen in previous releases such as Forza Horizon 4, but those new to the franchise have been left surprised and confused by the feature.
The newly-released Forza Horizon 5 has enjoyed a phenomenal launch, becoming Xbox Game Pass' biggest game of the year to date, and having the largest release day in Xbox Game Studios history. Those who purchased the premium edition of the game were able to access it ahead of its full launch, with the base game releasing on Xbox Game Pass on day one, November 9. The title boasts impressive new-gen graphics and an expansive open-world, taking players to an immersive and highly-detailed Mexico for a new Horizon Festival. Over one million fans raced to experience Forza Horizon 5 in early access, with the game now being one of the highest-rated of the year so far.
The game's success means many players are experiencing a Forza Horizon title for the first time, which has led to lots of confusion over the game's use of players' real names. While users can choose an in-game nickname for themselves, some NPCs can refer to the player by the first name, despite not inputting it into the release. This is thought to be done as the game pulls data from player's Microsoft accounts, taking their actual real-world names to address them by instead of their gamertag. The unusual game feature has creeped out a lot of players, with confusion across social media.
While the Forza Horizon 5 feature has been mostly a curiosity for many players, others have pointed out how pulling old Microsoft details could be problematic. As seen in one of the tweets above, some users have been deadnamed by the game, meaning they've been referred to by a name they no longer identify with, which players may find upsetting or offensive. Those looking to avoid such a situation can update their details through their associated Microsoft account.
Forza Horizon 5 may have launched to impressive numbers, but the game isn't free from issues. As well as some unhappy with the game's use of Microsoft data, others have also experienced bugs and crashes. Fixes have been addressed by Forza Horizon 5 developer Playground Games when it comes to PC crashes, which should hopefully improve the experience.
Source: Twitter/Cade_Onder/BunMaki/TheWildWun/rhysbas