Forza Horizon 5 Season Change: That 90s Show

A new Series in Forza Horizon 5 is now upon us, with a new game feature and a retro theme that will hit quite a few of you right in the age.

The 1990s (without an apostrophe) is the decade of choice for Series 39, or “Back to the 90s” (less the errant apostrophe), and for those of you who don’t think that’s retro please bear in mind that the end of the decade is further away from now than the last England World Cup win was to the start of it.

Accordingly you’ll be driving, photographing, and winning cars from the 1990s all throughout this Series, including the four new-to-game cars that largely stick to the big cruiser theme at 20pt within each season.

Horizon Backstage makes its debut in the game this month too. This feature allows you to purchase (or win) passes to exchange for rare and exclusive cars in a special area of the game, with players able to vote on which cars ought to appear on the list.

Table of Contents

Series 39: Back to the 90s

It’s another 300-point playlist for Series 39, which sees the points split up evenly across all four seasons at 75pt apiece.

You’ll need to be aware of the increased requirement for a multiplayer subscription as Hide & Seek looks to be a permanent addition, guaranteeing a minimum of 12pt each week from multiplayer modes. There’s also still 14pt from the DLC each week, leaving little room for maneuver for solo players of the base game.

Again there’s only four new cars available and coming as rewards each season. The two overall Series rewards are therefore not new, but are both are Playlist-exclusives. There’s the Mercedes-Benz 500E at 80pt and the GMC Typhoon for 160pt.

Series 39 Summer/Wet Season Rewards

Series 39 also sees a shift to the end-game look of FH4, with only one car available as a reward each season at 20pt; this week that’s the Toyota Soarer. The second slot, for 40pt, will be filled with a Horizon Backstage Pass — presumably in perpetuity.

Summer will run until 1430UTC on Thursday October 17, with Series 39 running a further three weeks until the same time on Thursday November 7.

Series 39 Summer Playlist: Forzathon Events

Performance cars from the 1990s are the theme for the Forzathon Weekly Challenge, starting with the Ferrari F50. Seven Daily Challenges — one new event each day at 1430 UTC — are also available for a point each.

You can double-up the Weekly and two Daily challenges if you wait until late in the week. Apply 25,000cr of mods to your F50 and then win any Road Race Sprint to check off three things at once. You’ll also need to complete an Expedition again, and multiplayer is needed for one Daily. If you don’t have the F50 you can win it in The Trial this week.

Series 39 Summer Forzathon Weekly Challenge: Street King

  • Car: Ferrari F50 ’95
    • Chapter 1: Own and drive the F50
    • Chapter 2: Earn six Stars at Speed Zones
    • Chapter 3: Win a Road Race Sprint event
    • Chapter 4: Take a photo of the F50
  • Reward: 5 points, 80FP

Series 39 Summer Daily Challenges

  • October 10 – All the Small Things: Win a Road Race Circuit Event in any “Microcar Mayhem” car
  • October 11 – Deep Impact: Earn a Crash Landing Skill
  • October 12 – U Can’t Touch This: Score a flag in any Flag Rush game*
  • October 13 – The One Where Ramiro Flies a Plane!: Complete the Tulum Expedition
  • October 14 – Show Me the Money!: Spend 25,000cr on car upgrades
  • October 15 – Cartune Network: Win a Road Race Sprint Event with an upgraded car
  • October 16 – Swimming Cossie: Take a photo of the Ford Escort RS Cosworth at Cascadas de Agua Azul

Series 39 Summer Playlist: Season Events

We have one multiplayer event on this week’s list of season events, requiring Xbox Live Core unless you play on PC.

That’s The Trial, in its usual spot, requiring you to work with a team of players against Unbeatable AI in B Class (601-700PI) examples of either the Nissan Skyline or Toyota Supra, but only from the 1990s.

Three player-created challenges await from the EventLab. GT Cup is a race for S2 Class (901-998PI) Extreme Track Toys, with Jurassic Dragon Rally set up for A Class (701-800PI) Modern Rally and Rally Monster cars; this also awards the Dinosaur Outfit. EventLab Island hosts The Refinery, for B Class (601-700PI) Super Hot Hatch cars.

We’ve got three PR Stunts requiring an S1 Class (801-900PI) car from the UK and from the 1990s, each awarding Super Wheelspins. You’re almost spoiled for choice here, and should have no trouble with any.

Two Seasonal Championships are up: three-race events against Highly Skilled AI. 90s Icons: Subaru 22B requires any B Class (601-700PI) Subaru and awards you the ultra-rare 22B, while Seems Reasonable is for B Class (601-700PI) cars priced at 30,000cr or less as new and gifts the Mustang Cobra required for the Treasure Hunt.

Finally, complete any round of Horizon Arcade of any type — Air, Chaos, Drift, Speed, or Wreckage — to finish off the list.

The Trial: Face-Off*

  • Car: B Class, 1990s, Nissan Skyline/Toyota Supra
  • Reward: 10 points, Ferrari F50

Horizon Arcade: Mini-Games

  • Car: Any
  • Reward: 3 points

EventLab: GT Cup

  • Car: S2 Class, Extreme Track Toys
  • Reward: 3 points, Hoonigan RS200

EventLab: Jurassic Dragon Rally

  • Car: A Class, Modern Rally/Rally Monsters
  • Reward: 3 points, Dinosaur Outfit

EventLab: The Refinery

  • Car: B Class, Super Hot Hatch
  • Reward: 3 points, Super Wheelspin

Danger Sign: Hotel

  • Car: S1 Class, 1990s, UK
  • Target: 150m
  • Reward: 3 points, Super Wheelspin

Speed Trap: Autopista

  • Car: S1 Class, 1990s, UK
  • Target: 220mph
  • Reward: 3 points, Super Wheelspin

Speed Zone: Airfield

  • Car: S1 Class, 1990s, UK
  • Target: 155mph
  • Reward: 3 points, Super Wheelspin

Seasonal Championship: 90s Icons

  • Car: B Class, Subaru
  • Reward: 5 points, Subaru 22B

Seasonal Championship: Seems Reasonable

  • Car: B Class, 30,000cr
  • Reward: 5 points, Ford Mustang ’93

Series 39 Summer Playlist: Challenges

Hide & Seek now appears a permanent resident on the list, and is joined by a second multiplayer event in the shape of The Eliminator. You just need to complete the former, while finishing 30th or better — as usual — is enough for the latter. Both require access to online multiplayer.

For the Photo Challenge, #DressedToImprezza, just take a photo of the Subaru Impreza 22B which you can win from the Seasonal Championship above. Take the other reward car — the Mustang Cobra ’93 — to victory at any Drag Race (Aerodromo, Festival, or Teotihuacan) to reveal the Treasure Chest at Colinas Aridas for the Treasure Hunt.

The Eliminator: Battle Royale*

  • Cars: Any (provided)
  • Location: The Eliminator
  • Reward: 2 points, “Donkey!!” Forza LINK

Hide & Seek: 5 vs 1*

  • Cars: Any (provided)
  • Location: Hide & Seek
  • Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin

Photo Challenge: #DressedToImprezza

  • Cars: Subaru Impreza 22B
  • Location: Any
  • Reward: 2 points, 90s Outfit

Treasure Hunt: High-Snakes Racer

  • Cars: Ford Mustang Cobra ’93
  • Location: Drag Race (any)/Colinas Aridas
  • Reward: 3 points, 90,000cr

Series 39 Summer Playlist: Monthly Events

There’s only two Monthly Events this Series. Each requires you to complete a clean run of the indicated course in the car provided to you. These award one point to each season, for a total this month of 8pt.

Monthly Rivals: Chihuahua Circuit

  • Cars: Toyota Soarer (provided)
  • Reward: 4 points (1 added to each season)

Monthly Rivals: Emerald Circuit

  • Cars: Subaru SVX (provided)
  • Reward: 4 points (1 added to each season)

Series 39 Summer Bonus DLC Events

The usual 14 points is available for players who own the two DLC expansions, with seven points on offer in each of the locations. There’s a PR Stunt and Seasonal Championship in each location, with both PR Stunts requiring a car of the same type: an A Class (701-800PI) Italian car from the 1990s.

Hot Wheels Speed Zone: Frozen Rush

  • Car: A Class, 1990s, Italy
  • Target: 142mph
  • Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin

Hot Wheels Seasonal Championship: A Can-Yon Do Attitude

  • Car: B Class, 1990s, Retro Muscle
  • Reward: 5 points, Mazda RX-7 ’97

Rally Adventure Speed Trap: Orogrande Rush

  • Car: A Class, 1990s, Italy
  • Target: 130mph
  • Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin

Rally Adventure Seasonal Championship: What’s the Hatch

  • Car: C Class, 1990s, Retro Hot Hatch
  • Reward: 5 points, Audi RS2 ’95

Series 39 Summer Forzathon Shop

This week sees the debut of the Horizon Backstage Pass in the Forzathon Shop, seemingly as a permanent addition, for 1000FP.

  • Bugatti EB110 – 550FP
  • TVR Cerbera Speed 12 – 300FP
  • White Skinny Jeans – 75FP
  • Dial Up Modem Horn – 75FP
  • Backstage Pass – 1000FP
  • Super Wheelspin – 150FP
  • Wheelspin – 60FP

*denotes a multiplayer event, requiring Xbox Game Pass Core

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