Here’s Why Forza Horizon 5 Is Set in Mexico, Not in Japan

The first rumors about Forza Horizon 5’s location surfaced more than a year ago when people all over the world started talking about what they believed they were hints the game would be set in Japan.

At some level, this made perfect sense given Japan’s car culture, but sources familiar with the matter said a few months ago this wouldn’t happen. Simply because Microsoft and Playground Games picked Mexico for the job, that is, and apparently, a video the Redmond-based software giant rolled out back in 2019 even included some clues about the location of the next Forza.

Now that the game is official and Mexico is confirmed as the home of Forza Horizon 5, the big question is why has Playground Games picked this country for the game.

Speaking in a recent interview, Creative Director at Playground Games Mike Brown says the location of Forza Horizon 5 has actually been picked a long time ago, as it’s one of the first things the people involved in its development decided. In other words, there’s a good chance the 2019 Microsoft video indeed included hints the game would be set in Mexico, and it wasn’t all just wishful thinking.

As for why Mexico and not Japan, it doesn’t all come down to just a single thing, such as the car culture, but to the opportunity to build a completely new world that’s based on a real-life version.

Mike Brown emphasizes Mexico has a lot to offer, including volcanoes, snowy mountains, canyons, ancient cities, deserts, jungles, all mixed with things that people love, such as music and art. So in theory, Mexico has everything Playground needed to evolve its open-world concept, which in Forza Horizon 5, reaches a completely new level to provide gamers with a modern gameplay experience

“Mexico as a country is almost like the whole world in one country,” he said, and that’s exactly what makes it perfect for a game like Forza Horizon 5 where users can race through beautiful and diverse landscapes.