Forza Horizon 6 is a 2026 racing game developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios. It is the sixth Forza Horizon title, following Forza Horizon 5, and the fourteenth main instalment in the Forza franchise. Set in a fictionalised representation of Japan, it features a stylised version of Tokyo as the game world's main city. It was released for Windows and Xbox Series X/S on 19 May 2026, and will be released for PlayStation 5 on 26 January 2027.
Gameplay
Forza Horizon 6 is set in Japan. The game's open world map is the franchise's largest, with the Tokyo City area considered to be its "most complex and intricate drivable space". Similar to its two predecessors, the game features a dynamic weather system that reflects seasonal changes. Players begin as a tourist and must work their way up to qualify for the Horizon Festival, eventually rising through its ranks. The wristband progression system from Forza Horizon and Forza Horizon 2 returns. Players earn wristbands by completing races, events, and stunts, unlocking better and faster cars along the way. Reaching the gold wristband grants access to Legend Island, a special area featuring unique challenges, exclusive events and a second Horizon Festival Site.
The game launched with over 550 cars, a lot of which can be extensively customised. Players can store unlocked vehicles in one of eight garages which also serve as fast travel points. Additionally, players can unlock "the Estate", a customisable mountainside property in rural Japan which can be decorated with various items and objects. As players explore the open world, they can join events such as car meets, street racing, and touge battles. Players can also photograph points of interest, with these shots stored as stamps in a Collection Journal. "The Eliminator", a multiplayer battle royale game mode that first appeared in Forza Horizon 4, allows up to 72 players to face off against each other.
Development
Forza Horizon 6 was developed by Playground Games with assistance from Turn 10 Studios, while Panic Button focusing the port development of PlayStation 5 version. In December 2025, it was reported that Turn 10 had ended work on supporting Forza Motorsport (2023) and had shifted its focus entirely to Forza Horizon 6. Turn 10 contributed help in polishing Forza Horizon 6 and their experience working on the more sim-racing focused Forza Motorsport series aided Playground Games in improving car detail and introducing new mechanics.
Release
Revealed during the 2025 Tokyo Game Show, Forza Horizon 6 was confirmed to be launched on Windows and Xbox Series X/S on 19 May 2026 if the player has purchased the Standard or Deluxe edition or 15 May 2026 if the player has purchased the Premium edition; with a PlayStation 5 version releasing later in 26 January 2027 if the player has purchased the Standard or Deluxe edition or 21 January 2027 if the player has purchased the Premium Flair edition. It is made available to subscribers of select Xbox Game Pass plans on release day, including Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The game was part of Xbox Developer Direct on 22 January 2026, with Playground Games debuting the first look of gameplay.
On 10 May 2026, nine days before the official release date and five days before the early access period started, it was reported that the game's 155 GB of files for pre-loading on Steam were accidentally left unencrypted. Normally the uploaded files would be encrypted until launch, but players were able to play the game unimpeded as a result of the error.The files were cracked by pirates and uploaded to file sharing websites. Playground Games acknowledged the leak in a Twitter post and issued bans for players who played the game through this method.
Following the release of the game, some players criticised the difficulty of the Drivatar system, even at lower difficulty levels. Playground Games subsequently addressed the issue, along with others, in a blog post. One Drivatar in particular, named "bowie knife99", became infamous for their erratic and aggressive behaviour, with some players fighting back against them. Bowie knife99 went on to become an internet meme, being referenced in tweets from companies such as Xbox themselves to Major League Baseball.