Xbox boss Phil Spencer is ecstatic following the insane early success of one of their big-name exclusives, "Forza Horizon 5."
Spencer went on Twitter to announce that the new "Forza" title has already had over 4.5 million players, which is three times larger than the peak numbers for "Forza Horizon 4," as reported by Game Rant.
Here is the Xbox boss' tweet:
"Forza Horizon 5" is reaping massive success as one of the first big-name exclusives from Xbox Game Studios right now, and it's clear that players were quite excited about a new game in the series, as per the original GameRant report.
This is the first "Forza Horizon" title since 2018. That game was also positively received, but the reception for its successor is just so massive by comparison.
Three days ago, it was reported that the peak player numbers for "Forza Horizon 5" reached 800,000 before the game was even released. The numbers are also well-spread across the PC and Xbox platforms.
Critical reception for the latest Xbox and PC exclusive is also mostly positive, Kotaku reports.
Aside from high scores from several big-name game reviewers and publications, users are also reviewing the new Xbox Game Studios exclusive favorably. As of this writing, the game is at a 92 on Metacritic, with gamers mostly praising the graphics, gameplay, and the fun challenges that its open world offers.
Read also: How to Use a Mouse and Keyboard on Your Xbox--and Which Games to Play With Your New Hardware
What's Next For Xbox Game Studios?
Many fans have said over the years that Xbox doesn't have as many high-profile exclusive releases compared to PlayStation. But now, that's not the case.
With the almost-instantaneous success of "Forza Horizon 5," Xbox is looking ahead to potentially even bigger exclusive releases.
The closest one right now is the much-anticipated "Halo Infinite," which had its first public multiplayer beta recently. A lot of players got to try it early and there were a lot of positives during the test run.
"Infinite" is set to launch this December as the next big-name Xbox and PC exclusive, but it won't be the last.
There's also "Starfield," which is Bethesda's first new IP in over two decades since their iconic "Elder Scrolls" franchise.
After being first teased with a trailer way back in June, the sci-fi RPG will be the first time that the legendary "Skyrim" maker goes to a futuristic setting that isn't the post-apocalyptic wasteland of the "Fallout" games.
However, Xbox might have something even bigger up its sleeves, if a certain rumor proves accurate.
In late October, a leaker posted on social media that Xbox has secured the rights to a "big" third-party exclusive. While it wasn't revealed which game it is or which developer is handling it, the words "ecstatic" and "delighted" were allegedly common when describing how certain Xbox executives feel about the accusation.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer hasn't commented on the rumor as of yet, but maybe it's only a matter of time before an official announcement.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce