Forza Horizon 6

Forza Horizon 6 is an open-world racing game developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios, releasing May 19, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam, Microsoft Store). The sixth mainline entry in the Forza Horizon series, the game marks the franchise's return to Japan after the location was heavily fan-requested since the series' inception in 2012.

Forza Horizon 6 features an open world approximately five times larger than Forza Horizon 5's Edinburgh map, spanning urban Tokyo districts, rural farmland, mountain passes, and coastal highways. The game features over 550 licensed cars at launch, dynamic weather and seasons, and full integration with Xbox Game Pass (day one availability).

Playground Games confirmed the game's cover car is the Toyota GR GT concept, a hybrid hypercar unveiled at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon. This marks the first time a concept car has been featured as the cover vehicle for a Forza Horizon game.

Forza Horizon 6 retains the series' signature gameplay loop: players participate in the Horizon Festival, a fictional racing event where they compete in races, stunts, and challenges across an open world. The game features multiple race disciplines including street racing, off-road rallying, drift zones, speed traps, and drag racing.

Campaign & Progression

The campaign follows a storyline where players start as an unknown driver and work their way up the Horizon Festival ranks by completing races, challenges, and story missions. Players earn Influence (XP) to unlock new events, cars, and customization options. The game features five distinct Horizon Adventure storylines tied to different racing disciplines.

Multiplayer & Co-Op

Forza Horizon 6 supports seamless online multiplayer with up to 72 players in a shared world. The game introduces Horizon Tour Co-Op, a 4-player cooperative mode where teams compete against AI opponents in championship events. Competitive multiplayer includes Ranked Adventure (skill-based matchmaking) and Playground Games (team-based party modes like Flag Rush and Infected).

Customization

Players can customize cars with performance upgrades (engine swaps, drivetrain conversions, suspension tuning) and visual modifications (paint, liveries, body kits, wheels). The game's EventLab mode allows players to create custom races, stunt challenges, and mini-games using a drag-and-drop editor, shareable with the community.

Forza Horizon 6's map is set in a fictionalized version of Japan, blending recognizable landmarks with original geography. The map is divided into five biomes:

• Tokyo Metro — Dense urban environment with neon-lit streets, expressways, and underground parking garages. Features the fictional Horizon Festival Main Stage.
• Mountain Pass — Winding touge roads inspired by locations like Hakone and Mount Fuji, ideal for drifting and hill climbs.
• Coastal Highway — Seaside expressways and beach towns reminiscent of Shonan and the Pacific Coast.
• Farmland & Villages — Rural rice paddies, traditional villages, and dirt rally stages.
• Industrial Zone — Dockyard and factory complexes with wide straights and technical layouts.

The map supports dynamic weather (rain, fog, snow in winter) and a seasonal system that rotates weekly, altering road conditions and available events. Playground Games confirmed the map is the largest in Forza Horizon history, approximately 50 square kilometers.

Forza Horizon 6 launches with over 550 licensed cars, spanning manufacturers from Audi to Zenvo. The car list emphasizes Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) vehicles to match the game's setting, including rare models and tuner culture icons. Confirmed highlights include:

• Toyota GR GT (cover car)
• Nissan Skyline GT-R R34
• Honda NSX (1990)
• Mazda RX-7 FD
• Subaru Impreza WRX STI 22B
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
• Lexus LFA
• Acura Integra Type R (2024)

Post-launch, Playground Games will release monthly Car Packs adding 6-8 new vehicles, plus seasonal Festival Playlist rewards (free cars unlocked by completing weekly challenges). A Car Pass DLC bundle grants access to the first 42 post-launch cars.

Playground Games is a British video game developer based in Leamington Spa, England, founded in 2010 by former Codemasters and Bizarre Creations staff. The studio is a subsidiary of Xbox Game Studios (acquired by Microsoft in 2018).

Playground Games is best known for developing the Forza Horizon series, which has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. The studio operates two development teams: one focused on Forza Horizon, the other on Fable, a fantasy action-RPG reboot slated for 2027.

Forza Horizon 6 is built on the studio's proprietary ForzaTech engine, a fork of the engine used by Turn 10 Studios for the Forza Motorsport series. The engine supports ray-traced global illumination (in ForzaVista car showrooms) and runs at 60fps on Xbox Series X (4K resolution) and 60fps on Xbox Series S (1440p resolution).

Forza Horizon 6 is available in three editions:

• Standard Edition ($69.99) — Base game, day one Xbox Game Pass.
• Deluxe Edition ($89.99) — Base game + Car Pass (42 cars) + VIP Membership (double credits, free cars, exclusive events).
• Premium Edition ($99.99) — Deluxe content + two expansion packs (TBA) + Welcome Pack (5 cars, 1 million credits).

Players who purchase the Premium Edition receive 5-day early access starting May 14, 2026. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can access the Standard Edition on day one at no additional cost.

As of July 2026, Forza Horizon 6 has been played by over 12 million unique users across Xbox and PC, making it the fastest-growing Forza Horizon launch in series history. The game holds an 89 Metacritic average (Xbox Series X version) with praise for its expansive Japan setting, car roster depth, and visual fidelity. Critics noted minor frame rate dips in dense Tokyo districts and repetitive mission structure as areas for improvement.

The game generated controversy in its first week when players discovered several JDM cars (including the Nissan Silvia S15 and Toyota Supra A80) were locked behind time-limited seasonal events rather than being purchasable at launch, prompting backlash from the community. Playground Games responded by adding a Car Voucher system allowing players to unlock any car instantly.