FH6 Cross-Platform Guide: Xbox, PS5 & PC
Forza Horizon 6 marks a historic milestone for the franchise: full cross-platform support across Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. This is the first Forza Horizon game to launch on a PlayStation console, and the crossplay implementation is designed to be seamless. Whether your friends play on Xbox, PC via Microsoft Store or Steam, or PS5, you can race together in any mode without restrictions. This guide covers everything you need to know about cross-platform play, progress sharing, platform-specific differences, and how to get the best experience on your chosen platform.
For system requirements and hardware recommendations on each platform, visit the system requirements page. For answers to common questions about multiplayer and accounts, check our FAQ.
Crossplay: How It Works
FH6 uses a unified matchmaking system that pools players from all platforms into shared sessions. When you enter the open world, you are placed into a session with up to 72 players from Xbox, PS5, and PC combined. The game does not display platform indicators by default — there is no icon showing whether another player is on Xbox or PS5. This was a deliberate design choice to prevent platform-based discrimination in matchmaking.
Crossplay is enabled by default on all platforms. You can disable it in the online settings menu if you prefer to play only with players on your platform. However, disabling crossplay significantly increases matchmaking times, especially in less populated modes like Playground Games or specific class-based Open Racing. The player base on any single platform is not large enough to sustain fast matchmaking without crossplay enabled.
Platform-specific features like Xbox Game Pass integration, PlayStation Network trophies, and Steam achievements run independently alongside the shared game progression. Your achievements and trophies are tied to your platform account, not your Forza profile. This means you can earn both Steam achievements and Xbox Gamerscore if you own the game on multiple platforms — but progression is not shared between platform storefronts (more on that below).
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox remains the flagship platform for Forza Horizon 6. The game runs at a native 4K 60 FPS on Xbox Series X with a 120 FPS performance mode available. Xbox Series S targets 1440p 60 FPS with a 1080p 120 FPS mode. Quick Resume is supported, letting you jump back into the open world in seconds from a suspended state. Xbox players get early access to monthly DLC car packs (7 days before other platforms) as part of the Xbox marketing partnership. Smart Delivery ensures you get the best version for your console automatically.
PlayStation 5
The PS5 version is the newcomer to the Forza franchise. Performance is nearly identical to Xbox Series X — native 4K 60 FPS with a 120 FPS mode available. The PS5 version supports DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, which provide nuanced throttle and brake feel that is not available on other platforms. The adaptive trigger resistance changes based on road surface, tire grip, and brake temperature — it is a genuinely useful feedback mechanism, not just a gimmick. PS5 players can link their PlayStation Network account to an Xbox Live account through the game's settings menu for crossplay functionality. Loading times on PS5 are slightly faster than Xbox Series X (approximately 0.5 seconds quicker on average) due to the PS5's higher raw SSD bandwidth.
PC (Microsoft Store & Steam)
PC offers the most graphical flexibility with support for ultrawide monitors (21:9 and 32:9), unlocked frame rates, DLSS 3 and FSR 3 upscaling, and ray-traced reflections in Forzavista mode. The Microsoft Store version supports Xbox Play Anywhere — if you buy it on the Microsoft Store, you get the Xbox console version included at no extra cost, and your save data syncs between PC and Xbox via the cloud. The Steam version is separate — saves do not sync with the Microsoft Store or Xbox versions, and you cannot play on Xbox if you buy on Steam. However, Steam supports Steam Input for extensive controller customization, Steam Workshop for shared tuning setups, and regional pricing that may be cheaper than other storefronts. For detailed PC hardware requirements, check our system requirements page.
Progress Transfer: FH5 to FH6
A common question from returning players is whether their Forza Horizon 5 progress carries over. The answer is partial — some things transfer, most do not.
What Does Transfer
- Loyalty Rewards: If you have played FH5 for at least 10 hours on any platform, you unlock five exclusive loyalty cars: the 2021 Ford Bronco "Horizon Edition," the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 "Loyalty Edition," the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS "Heritage," the 2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ "Founder's Edition," and a special FH6-branded 2022 Ford GT.
- Forza Link: Your club affiliations, friend lists, and player groups carry over from FH5. You do not need to rebuild your Forza community.
- Hall of Fame Status: Players who reached Hall of Fame in FH5 receive a starter pack of 500,000 CR and a unique player badge visible on their profile card.
- Forza Edition Vehicles: Some Forza Edition cars from FH5 are unlockable in FH6 through a special "Veteran Collection" showcase event, but they are not automatically added to your garage.
What Does NOT Transfer
- Credits: Your FH5 credit balance does not carry over. Every player starts FH6 with 100,000 CR.
- Cars: Your entire FH5 garage stays in FH5. You start FH6 with no cars and must earn or buy them again.
- Level & Accolades: Player level, Prestige rank, accolades, and skill points reset. FH6 has its own progression system.
- Tuning Setups & Liveries: Custom content does not transfer. You must recreate or re-download tunes and paint jobs.
- Seasonal Progress: Festival Playlist completion, event rewards, and seasonal championships reset.
Platform-Specific Differences
While FH6 is designed to play identically across platforms, there are measurable differences worth knowing.
Graphics & Performance
Xbox Series X and PS5 are nearly identical in performance. Both run at native 4K 60 FPS in quality mode. The PS5 has slightly faster load times. The Xbox Series X has slightly more consistent frame pacing in 120 FPS mode. PC is the performance king if you have the hardware — an RTX 4080 or better can run FH6 at 4K 120+ FPS with max settings. Ray tracing is available on PC and next-gen consoles, but only in Forzavista mode and menu screens — not during actual gameplay due to performance constraints. For detailed graphics comparisons, see our system requirements page.
Controller & Input
The PS5's DualSense controller provides the most immersive driving experience thanks to haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Xbox Wireless Controller is excellent and remains the standard for competitive play due to its ergonomics and reliability. On PC, you can use any controller, plus direct-drive racing wheels with full force feedback support. Wheel support on consoles is more limited — Logitech G923, Thrustmaster T248, and Fanatec DD Pro are supported on both Xbox and PS5, but console-specific wheel compatibility differs.
Online Services & Networking
Xbox and PC (Microsoft Store) use Xbox Live infrastructure for matchmaking. Steam uses Steamworks for networking. PS5 uses PlayStation Network. Despite different backends, the matchmaking is unified — the game translates between network protocols transparently. In practice, this means occasional cross-platform desync is possible but rare. FH6 uses rollback netcode for competitive modes to mitigate latency issues, and it works well. Players on wired connections have a noticeable advantage over WiFi players, regardless of platform.
Save Data & Cloud Saves
Microsoft Store and Xbox share cloud saves through Xbox Play Anywhere. Steam saves are local to Steam Cloud. PS5 saves are on PSN Cloud (requires PlayStation Plus). There is no cross-save between different storefronts. If you want to play on both PC and Xbox, you must buy the Microsoft Store version. If you want to play on PC and PS5, there is no shared save option currently.
Tips for Cross-Platform Play
Playing with friends on different platforms is the primary reason to understand crossplay. Here are practical tips for a smooth experience.
- Use the Convoy system — The Convoy is the easiest way to party up across platforms. One player creates a Convoy, sends invites through the in-game friend system, and all members (regardless of platform) join the shared session. Cross-platform voice chat is built in — no Discord or party chat required.
- Add friends by Forza Link ID — Instead of platform-specific usernames, use your Forza Link ID to add friends. Your Forza Link ID is your persistent identity across platforms. Find it in your profile settings: Settings > Profile > Forza Link.
- Enable crossplay in settings — If you cannot find friends' sessions, verify crossplay is enabled. Settings > Online > Crossplay: Enabled. If it is disabled, you will only see players on your platform.
- Be aware of platform input differences — Controller players have an advantage in most racing scenarios. Wheel players have better consistency but slower reaction times. Keyboard players are rare in competitive modes. Input-based matchmaking is available as an option but finding matches takes longer.
- Update your game simultaneously — Crossplay requires all players to be on the same game version. Patches may roll out at different times on different platforms (typically the same day, but Steam patches sometimes arrive a few hours later). If your Convoy cannot connect, check that everyone is on the latest version.
FH6 Cross-Platform FAQ
Is FH6 cross-platform between Xbox and PS5?
Yes, FH6 supports full cross-platform matchmaking across Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC (Microsoft Store and Steam). All multiplayer modes share a unified matchmaking pool. You can party up using the Convoy system and use built-in cross-platform voice chat.
Can I transfer my FH5 progress to FH6?
Progress does not directly transfer. Loyalty rewards are available for FH5 players with at least 10 hours played. Credits, cars, levels, and accolades do not carry over. Hall of Fame players receive a starter pack of 500,000 CR and a unique player badge.
Does FH6 support keyboard and mouse on Xbox?
Yes, FH6 supports keyboard and mouse on Xbox Series X|S with full keybinding customization. Input-based matchmaking is available as an option to match you with players using similar input types for fairer competition.