Summary
- Forza Horizon 5's Retrowave update debuted in late May 2024.
- The content drop includes new vehicles, cosmetics, and events, among other additions.
- A new radio station with 21 synthwave and vaporwave tracks is also part of the package.
Forza Horizon 5 has received a massive new update in late May 2024. Titled Retrowave, this release expands Forza Horizon 5 with the additions of a new track, vehicles, radio station, and cosmetics, among other novelties.
November 9 will mark the third anniversary of Forza Horizon 5's critically acclaimed release. Playground Games has been putting out regular content updates for its hit arcade racer ever since.
Forza Horizon 5: Best Cars To Auction & Sell
These cars in Forza Horizon 5 will fetch a pretty penny at the Auction House.
Forza Horizon 5 Embraces Synthwave in New Update
The latest such release debuted in late May 2024 in the form of the Retrowave update. Much like its name suggests, this content drop has been inspired by synthwave music and its accompanying aesthetic, featuring retro vibes and a whole lot of neon lights. As per usual, the new update comes with yet another Festival Playlist, which offers players a chance to unlock five more Forza Horizon 5 vehicles: the 2021 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4, 1986 BMW M635CSi, 1980 Lotus Esprit Turbo, 1986 Citroen BX 4TC, and the 2022 Hyundai N Vision 74.
This vehicle list appears to be aimed at offering a fairly varied mix of futuristic and retro-futuristic cars. The Retrowave update also introduces a new Forza Horizon 5 street racing track in the form of the Neon Highway. The course is characterized by vivid colors, groovy decorations, and—true to its name—an abudance of neon lights. Its eye-catching scenery isn't static, as the developers have gone through the effort of making sure that the Neon Highway's decorations are always synchronized to the tune of whatever song the player has blasting on their radio while they are racing.
Forza Horizon 5 'Horizon Wave' Radio Station Track List
Other parts of the Forza Horizon 5 map have also been temporarily redesigned for the duration of the Retrowave festival, having been decorated with a bunch of eye candy previously used for the Midnight at Horizon series. Another returning feature from that series are extended night cycles, which will help showcase the newly revised locations in all their neon-lit glory. Since no synthwave-inspired event would be complete without the iconic retro sunset imagery, the developers have prepared one such set piece in the form of a drone show taking place in the immediate vicinity of The Marathon event, close to the Stadium.
A new radio station called Horizon Wave is also part of the package, featuring 21 EDM tracks ranging from synthwave to vaporwave. Finally, the update introduces several cosmetics, including a vintage Retrowave Outfit and some Minecraft-inspired headgear commemorating the sandbox game's 15th anniversary. Retrowave is just the latest in a long list of Forza Horizon 5 updates that are still showing no sign of slowing down, and may continue for as long as the racing game remains without a direct sequel.
Forza Horizon 5 Retrowave Update Patch Notes
Features
- 20 new EventLab props including 12 with lights synched to the music being played through in-game radio.
- New Horizon Wave Radio Station featuring a new DJ and 21 new songs
- New Neon Highway
General
- Fixed an issue where AI Traffic cars were not present in Street Races
- Improvements made for an issue where some players were getting “Forza Horizon Server Not Available” error message while trying to connect to the Auction House, Message Centre, Leaderboards or browse Liveries, Tunes and Vinyl
- Fixed an issue where players were not able to follow/unfollow creators via the Creative Hub
- General performance and stability fixes
Cars
- Fixed an issue with the 2020 Audi TT RS where front fenders were disappearing when equipping the customized hood
- Fixed an issue with the 2020 Audi TT RS where the digital gauge in the cockpit view had some texture inconsistencies
Retrowave Horns
- Cassette
- Cat Wave
- Dial Tone
- Plasma
- Synth Toms
- Synth Horn
Retrowave EventLab Props
-
Walls and fences (with snapping functionality)
- Neon Road Barrier Left/Right
- Neon Road Barrier Beam
- Neon Railing
-
Decorations
- Neon Cube
- Neon Pyramid
- Neon Palm
- Neon Tank
- Neon Art Green 1 & 2
-
Lighting
- Neon Overhead Light Pink & Blue
- Neon Double Street Light
- Neon Street Light
- Signs & Flags
- Horizon Wave Sign
-
Gameplay
- Retro Sunset
Forza Horizon 5
- Released
- November 9, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Your Ultimate Horizon Adventure awaits! Explore the vibrant and ever-evolving open world landscapes of Mexico with limitless, fun driving action in hundreds of the world’s greatest cars.
This is Your Horizon Adventure: Lead breathtaking expeditions across the vibrant and ever-evolving open world landscapes of Mexico with limitless, fun driving action in hundreds of the world’s greatest cars.
This is a Diverse Open World: Explore a world of striking contrast and beauty. Discover living deserts, lush jungles, historic cities, hidden ruins, pristine beaches, vast canyons and a towering snow-capped volcano.
This is an Adventurous Open World: Immerse yourself in a deep campaign with hundreds of challenges that reward you for engaging in the activities you love. Meet new characters and choose the outcomes of their Horizon Story missions.
This is an Evolving Open World: 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. Keep coming back for new events, challenges, collectibles, and rewards, and new areas to explore. No two seasons will ever be the same.
This is Your Open World: Create your own expressions of fun with the powerful new EventLab gameplay toolset including custom races, challenges, stunts, and entirely new game modes. Customize your cars in more ways than ever before with new options such as the ability open and close convertible tops, paint brake calipers, and more. Use the new Gift Drops feature to share your custom creations with the community.
- ESRB
- E for Everyone // In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Playground Games
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Franchise
- Forza Horizon
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Open-World
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
- File Size Xbox Series
- 134 GB (November 2023)
- Metascore
- 92
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
