We're getting so close now, it's less than a month until Forza Horizon 5's release date. For those that can't wait to give our new rides a whirl in Mexico though, is there a way to gain early access? Is there, or will there, be a demo or beta that's available to players before 9th November?
If you're asking yourself that question, we've got everything you need to know right here!
Past demos
For the most part, demos have gone out of practice in the video game industry. Millennials will remember picking up their monthly gaming magazine from the newsagents and it usually coming with a free disc. This disc would have upwards of ten game demos installed on it.
The concept was simple, try before you buy. Play the first few levels for free before choosing whether to invest your hard-earned money into the full game. That has now arguably been replaced by YouTube playthroughs, where anybody can access a walkthrough of the entire game for free.
Forza did buck this trend for a long time by sticking to its guns and allowing players to experience their upcoming titles via a demo. However, for the first time ever, this year's Horizon doesn't have a demo. That includes both the Xbox and PC versions of the game.
What about an open beta?
Some of the biggest video game series around like Call of Duty and Battlefield have been using open betas for years now. Open betas allow a select group of players to experience the game first-hand before its release date. Technically, Horizon 5 has this, but you'll have to fork out for it.
Those that purchase the Premium Edition of Horizon 5 will be able to play the game starting 5th November. That's a full four days before Horizon 5's official release date.
There is, however, a catch, especially if you're on a budget. While the Standard Edition costs £59.99, the Premium Edition will set you back a cool £84.99. You do of course get other benefits that come along with it, but it's a high amount to invest into one game.
There is another option...
For gamers on a budget, Xbox Game Pass could well be their saviour. Game Pass allows gamers to gain access to a huge library of games for £11.99 per month. Another feature that is available with Game Pass is that Xbox Studio games are also available for no extra cost on day one of their launches.
This of course includes Horizon 5, as this is an Xbox Original. If you don't have Game Pass either, you can add it to your Xbox Live subscription for only £1 for the first month. So, instead of investing £60 in Horizon 5 not knowing whether you'll like it or not, you could, in theory, play the game for just a quid.
Of course, if you decide to leave Game Pass at any point, the titles you downloaded through it will be taken away, so always keep that in mind.
So, while there is no official demo nor beta for Horizon 5, you can play the game for no additional cost or a small monthly fee.