Forza Horizon 5's localized weather system brings tons of variety

Forza Horizon 5 will be a next-gen spectacle on Xbox Series X/S with 4K graphics, and the in-game weather effects will make every part of Mexico look and feel unique.

Playground Games is making something special with Forza Horizon 5. The game will be a flagship experience on Xbox Series X with 4K HDR (although only at 30FPS) complete with ray-traced visuals in the ForzaVista mode, but the immersion will come from all angles. The environments are ultra-realistic and make a Mexican playground for sports racing; the devs are using high-end 12k resolution sky captures to make Forza Horizon 5 look better than ever, complete with new engine optimizations for global illumination, shadows, and dynamic weather.

The weather effects in particular will go a long way with immersion. Playground says the weather is localized, meaning different areas of the map will have different weather; there could be a dust storm to the south and a torrential rainstorm by the coast. The devs are also modeling weather patterns after real-life seasons, so expect to see the world change based on what time of year it is.

Playground promises that no two seasons will be the same:

"Take on awe-inspiring weather events such as towering dust storms and intense tropical storms as Mexico's unique, dynamic seasons change the world every week. No two seasons will ever be the same."

Forza Horizon 5 release November 9, 2021 on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.

Check below for more details, and here's a FH5 FAQ:

• New Forza Link AI that intelligently tracks the status of you and the people you meet online and helps you link up and play together.
• New open-world battle royale mode The Elminator
• 12K resolution captures of skies
• 4K 30FPS on Xbox Series X, 1080p 30FPS on Series S, new mode that prioritizes 60FPS
• Dynamic weather effects
• Ray-tracing in FozaVista mode
• Expedition campaign mode
• Authentic real-world locations rendered in high detail
• Huge draw distances