Forza Horizon 5 Accessibility Deep Dive and Blind Gameplay Experience on PlayStation
Race into the Horizon
Hello, dear readers! My name is Victor, and I am a totally blind gaming, technology, and entertainment journalist. I am also an ambassador for universal design, an accessibility consultant, advocate, tester, and public speaker.
Forza Horizon 5 has finally arrived on PlayStation 5 today, and with it, a breath of fresh air for fans of open-world racing. Developed by Playground Games, Forza Horizon 5 is not just a technical marvel, it’s an accessibility powerhouse. However, for totally blind players like myself, the experience comes with both remarkable victories and notable limitations.
Set in a vibrant, meticulously detailed recreation of Mexico, Forza Horizon 5 offers players the chance to explore a massive open world filled with diverse biomes: from dense jungles and lively cities to serene beaches and towering volcanoes. The game features hundreds of cars to collect, customize, and drive, seasonal events that dynamically alter the world, and a deep online multiplayer experience where players can race, team up, or simply explore together. Whether you want high-speed thrills or a relaxed scenic drive, Forza Horizon 5 offers you the freedom to play your way.
On PlayStation 5, Forza Horizon 5 takes full advantage of the hardware. The game runs beautifully, offering Performance and Quality modes depending on whether you prefer higher frame rates or maximum visual fidelity. One of the biggest highlights is how well the DualSense controller is integrated. Thanks to adaptive triggers, you can feel the subtle resistance of gas and brake pedals under your fingers. Haptic feedback delivers the sensation of every terrain you drive across – from the rumble of asphalt to the crunch of gravel and the splash of mud. Even though as a blind player I cannot steer without additional audio cues, the sensation of speed, acceleration, and collisions is immersive, adding a new dimension to the gameplay experience.
Forza Horizon 5 comes equipped with some fantastic accessibility features: full menu narration, comprehensive driving assists, and even the inclusion of Sign Language interpreters for cinematics. The developers’ attention to accessibility is clear from the moment you start the game. Menu navigation is fluid with a screen reader, driving assists ensure that even casual players can enjoy the thrill of racing, and the thoughtful inclusion of sign language marks another huge leap forward for inclusivity in gaming. Let’s not forget that all these features were there since 2021, when the game released initially on Xbox and PC.
However, for totally blind players, the reality is a bit more complicated.
Unlike Forza Motorsport, which introduced a groundbreaking Blind Driving Assist system, complete with audio cues to help players steer, accelerate, brake, and truly race independently, Forza Horizon 5 does not include this functionality.
This means that while the game is playable for blind players (thanks to narrated menus and the ability to hold R2 to accelerate), the actual racing experience falls short. Without dedicated sound cues to guide steering or direction, there’s no way for a blind player to control the vehicle as intended. The only real action available to us is to press R2 and listen as the car speeds down winding roads, with no real ability to maneuver. It’s a bittersweet situation: being able to access such a beautiful, dynamic open world, but not being able to fully participate in the heart of what Forza Horizon 5 offers.
To link your Xbox account to your PlayStation account, a process that’s mandatory in order to play, you will encounter a screen that is not narrated by the PS5’s built-in screen reader. Fortunately, I explain the full procedure clearly in my YouTube video, ensuring that blind players can successfully complete the setup without frustration.
In another video, I also explain how to navigate the world map and find new races, a task that – while still not fully accessible – can be made manageable with a few practical strategies. Despite these challenges, Forza Horizon 5 is awesome.
The atmosphere, the incredible variety of cars, the vast landscapes inspired by Mexico, and the dynamic weather all come together to create an exhilarating experience. I’m genuinely thrilled that this masterpiece is now reaching an even wider audience with its PlayStation release, and I truly hope that it finds many new fans in this community. Looking ahead, I remain hopeful.
I would love to see an update to Forza Horizon 5 that introduces Blind Driving Assists similar to those in Forza Motorsport. Even if it doesn’t happen in this title, I’m optimistic that future entries in the Forza Horizon series will take that crucial step forward. Blind gamers are ready and eager to hit the road, we just need the right tools to drive.
Congratulations to Xbox, Playground Games, and everyone involved in making Forza Horizon 5 such a fun and accessible racer. With just a bit more effort, it can become truly universal. And that’s something worth racing toward.
Review copy provided by Xbox Nordics
Victor Dima
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