The rumors behind Forza Horizon 5, particularly its existence and setting, continue to gain steam. It was initially believed that Japan would serve as the next setting, something which Windows Central’s Jez Corden and VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb somewhat refuted. On the Iron Lords Podcast, however, Grubb outright stated that Mexico is the next setting.
Speaking about leaked images showcasing the game’s Japan setting (which turned out to be fake), Grubb talked about a tweet from Corden about going to Mexico with his car. He then followed up by stating that it was set in Mexico but didn’t offer more beyond this. Grubb did speak briefly about the rumored IO Interactive-developed “Project Dragon“, corroborating the part about it being a “connected” world.
As part of a deal with Xbox Games Publishing, it’s described as a “behind-the back, Diablo-style connected experience.” This could suggest potential action RPG elements and a shared world experience. Of course, given that it’s still early, the final result could end up completely different from the initial pitch (as is often the case in the industry).
In the meantime, Forza Horizon 5 is rumored to be on track for release in 2021. While Microsoft hasn’t announced it, Turn 10 Studios announced sign-ups last month for Forza Motorsport 8’s upcoming feedback playtests. Stay tuned for more details on that in the coming days.