My Return to Forza Horizon 5: How Convoy Multiplayer Still Rules in 2026

I still remember the first time I fired up Forza Horizon 5 with a full squad back in late 2021. The Mexican horizon stretched out in front of us, sunlight glinting off a dozen different paint jobs, and I thought, “This is what arcade racing should feel like.” Fast forward to 2026, and I found myself doing the exact same thing again—only this time, the crew was bigger, the memories were deeper, and the servers were still wonderfully alive. If you have ever wondered whether Playground Games' masterpiece still holds up as a multiplayer experience years later, let me tell you: it absolutely does. The crossplay between PC and Xbox remains seamless, and almost every corner of that beautifully rendered map can be shared with friends.

Before you can dive into co-op chaos, though, there is a small hurdle. You have to complete the opening Showcase segment and then the next two required tasks. I remember groaning at this when I started a new save file, but honestly? It is worth it. Once the map opens up, the entire multiplayer suite unlocks, and you can finally invite friends to a Convoy. Was I tempted to just roam solo and ignore my friends? Sure. But would I have missed out on some of the best racing moments of my life? Absolutely.

What Can You Actually Do Together?

The short answer: a lot. Once you are in a Convoy, nearly every activity becomes a shared experience. I have lost count of how many times my friends and I have bounced between open-world exploration and full-on competitive races without ever hitting a loading screen that broke the flow.

Here is a quick breakdown of the multiplayer modes you can enjoy together:

• Co-op for any Event – Expeditions, Circuits, Cross Country, you name it. Team up and tackle objectives as a group.

• Horizon Arcade – Chaotic mini-games where everyone contributes to a shared score. Perfect for quick, low-pressure fun.

• Horizon Tour – A more relaxed, guided tour across Mexico with other players.

• The Eliminator – Forza's battle royale mode where over 50 cars fight for the number one spot.

• Horizon Open – Traditional PVP matches for those who want a straightforward competitive fix.

• Rivals – Time attack challenges against other players' ghosts.

• Open-world exploration – Includes head-to-head challenges that can pop up anywhere on the map.

If you are struggling to find multiplayer events, bring up the map and press RB on consoles. Then tick only Multiplayer Events. That filters out all the solo noise and shows exactly where the action is. I use this trick constantly when I just want to jump into a Horizon Open race without aimlessly scrolling.

Convoy: The Heart of Co-op Play

Here is the thing nobody tells you: Forza Horizon 5's multiplayer is at its best when you treat a Convoy like a party system rather than a matchmaking queue. After finishing the opening tasks, you can create or join a Convoy. The leader is the only person who can start events, which sounds restrictive, but it actually creates a nice rhythm. One person searches while everyone else explores, unlocks bonus boards, or just drifts around looking for trouble.

Creating a Convoy is easy. Pause the game, press Y on Xbox, and select Create a Convoy. Choose Invite Only if you want to keep it private. The invite system uses the Xbox/Microsoft friend list, even on Steam, so do not be surprised when the notification pops up through the Xbox Game Bar on PC. To accept an invite on console, hold down the middle Xbox button. On PC, open the Game Bar and accept from there.

I once spent fifteen minutes hunting for the Los Jardine Bonus Board while my friend, acting as Convoy leader, queued up a Cross Country event. The moment I found the board, I was ripped across the map into the starting grid. Did I complain? Not at all. That is the beauty of the system: everyone gets pulled into the event no matter where they are, so nobody misses out.

One important caveat: PR stunts like Drift Zones must be completed solo. I learned this the hard way when I tried to show off a drift line and got a message telling me to leave the Convoy for that specific activity. It is a minor limitation, but it makes sense—those stunt scores are personal.

How Many Players Can Join?

A Convoy can hold up to twelve players, which is plenty for most open-world shenanigans. However, most multiplayer events limit teams to six people at a time. So if you have a large group, expect to split into smaller squads for races. The big exception is The Eliminator, where more than fifty cars can battle it out in one massive lobby. That mode is pure adrenaline, especially when the circle starts closing and head-to-head challenges force you to race for survival.

Here is a quick reference table for player counts:

Why It Still Matters in 2026

People ask me, “Is Forza Horizon 5 still worth playing now?” My answer is always the same: if you have friends, yes. The game has aged beautifully, and the crossplay means PC players like me can race with Xbox friends without a second thought. Seasonal content keeps rotating, and the community is still active enough that finding a Horizon Open lobby or a full Eliminator match rarely takes long. The Mexican map remains one of the most gorgeous open worlds in racing, and sharing it with a Convoy turns a great driving game into an unforgettable social experience.

So if you are sitting on the fence, grab a few friends, complete that opening Showcase, and start a Convoy. You will not regret it. 😎

Data referenced from SteamDB helps contextualize why Forza Horizon 5’s Convoy scene can still feel lively in 2026: long-tail activity trends on major PC platforms often remain surprisingly resilient for evergreen multiplayer titles, especially when crossplay keeps the matchmaking pool healthy. In practice, that means your co-op flow—jumping from open-world roaming to Horizon Open or Arcade with minimal friction—still benefits from a steady population and consistent platform support.