Forza Horizon 6

Presentation

Forza Horizon 6 brings the Horizon Festival to Japan and retains the series' open-world driving formula while giving greater weight to progression. This time, the player does not arrive as a champion or celebrity: they begin as an ordinary tourist and must first earn a place in the Festival before gradually climbing the ranks toward Horizon Legend status.

The campaign combines two major forms of progression. The Horizon Festival structures the competitive journey around races, qualifications and the return of wristbands, while Discover Japan rewards exploration and discoveries made while traveling across the country. Both forms of progression are brought together in the Collection Journal, which records activities, locations, vehicles and other elements encountered along the way.

Wristbands mark the different stages of the Festival career. To earn the next one, players must progress through available events and complete certain major competitions, including traditional Showcases and the new Horizon Rush events. Earning the gold wristband ultimately unlocks Legend Island, an area reserved for drivers who have achieved Horizon Legend status.

Exploration has its own progression through collectible stamps found across Japan. Inspired by the Japanese tradition of stamp books, they represent the different stages of the journey. Collecting them can notably unlock new homes, Barn Find rumors and access to the Estate.

The game's Japan combines many different landscapes and driving styles. Tokyo City is the largest urban area ever created for a Horizon title, with central districts, suburbs, docks and industrial zones. Outside the capital, rural roads, mountain passes, snowy alpine areas and various biomes allow the game to alternate between urban driving, fast open roads, off-road terrain and tighter routes.

Some roads are inspired by real locations and routes connected to Japanese car culture, including the C1 Loop, Gingko Avenue and the mountain roads of Mount Haruna and Bandai Azuma. Elevation plays an important role in the map, with greater verticality than previous entries and seasonal changes capable of transforming the appearance of many regions.

More than 550 real-world cars are available at launch. The roster combines iconic Japanese vehicles, sports cars, off-road models, supercars and cars from many other automotive cultures. Customization remains important, with mechanical tuning, liveries, aerodynamic parts and body kits available depending on the vehicle.

Aftermarket Cars deepen this dimension. These already-modified vehicles can be discovered directly in the world, test-driven and then purchased. Some are positioned near specific activities or must be located using photographic clues, tying car collecting more closely to exploration.

Japanese car culture also inspires several new activities. Car Meets are integrated directly into the shared world and allow players to meet others, display their cars, inspect community creations, download liveries or tunes and quickly join a convoy. Locations inspired by real automotive gathering spots, including Daikoku, therefore function as social spaces.

Touge Battles use mountain roads for nighttime races on winding routes. Time Attack Circuits allow players to chase the best lap time on different tracks accessible directly from the open world, while Drag Meets focus on straight-line acceleration.

Customization now extends beyond cars. Each home can include a customizable garage, where players organize the space, position vehicles and create their own showroom. These spaces can be shown to friends or shared with the community.

The Estate pushes this idea further. This initially abandoned valley can be transformed by building directly within the open world. Placed elements remain in the environment, allowing players to gradually create a personal space much larger than a standard garage.

EventLab creation tools are also expanded. Players can begin building from more locations across the world, while Horizon CoLab allows several players to create together in real time. Community creation is therefore more directly integrated into the open-world version of Japan.

Multiplayer remains closely tied to exploration. Street races, Touge, time trials, meets, convoys and various activities can be shared, while familiar modes such as The Eliminator and Hide & Seek return alongside new competitions. Horizon Play progression specifically rewards participation in multiplayer activities.

Key points

• A new open-world racing entry set in Japan.
• A campaign where the player begins as a tourist before joining the Horizon Festival.
• The return of wristbands to represent progression toward Horizon Legend status.
• A parallel exploration progression through Discover Japan.
• A Collection Journal that records discoveries made throughout the journey.
• Collectible stamps that can unlock homes, Barn Find rumors and the Estate.
• A map combining Tokyo, countryside, mountain roads, alpine areas and multiple biomes.
• Tokyo City is the largest urban area created for a Horizon game.
• More than 550 real-world cars available at launch.
• Aftermarket Cars to discover, test and collect.
• Touge Battles, Car Meets, Drag Meets and Time Attack Circuits inspired by car culture.
• Customizable garages for displaying personal collections.
• An Estate that can be built and decorated directly in the open world.
• An expanded EventLab, with Horizon CoLab supporting collaborative creation.
• A campaign playable in single-player or co-op, alongside numerous multiplayer modes.
• Legend Island serves as one of the major rewards for reaching Horizon Legend status.

Conclusion

Forza Horizon 6 retains the driving freedom that defines the series while giving more structure to the player's journey. Beginning as a tourist, earning access to the Festival, collecting the different wristbands and ultimately reaching Legend Island gives the career a clearer arc without preventing free exploration of Japan from the earliest stages.

Exploration also becomes more important through stamps, the Collection Journal, hidden cars and the many activities embedded directly into the world. Racing and discovery are therefore less separate than before: traveling across Japan directly contributes to progression.

Customizable garages, the Estate, car meets and expanded community tools finally strengthen the idea of a shared automotive culture. The game is not limited to moving from one competition to another: collecting, modifying, displaying, building and simply driving across the country all become full parts of the Horizon Festival experience.

Good to know

Forza Horizon 6 was developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios.

The game was released on May 19, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, through the Xbox app, Microsoft Store and Steam. The Premium Edition provided early access from May 15.

A PlayStation 5 version has also been announced for 2026. As of September 25, 2026, its exact release date has not yet been announced.

The game is available through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on supported platforms.

Forza Horizon 6's Japan is the largest and densest map in the series at launch, with strong verticality and the biggest urban area ever created for a Horizon title.

The cover cars are the 2025 GR GT Prototype, making its video game debut here, and the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser.

The launch roster includes more than 550 vehicles, with additional models being added over time through updates, the Car Pass and different packs.

Since launch, the game has received regular themed series and Festival Playlist updates. Some also introduce permanent features, such as Drift Attack. These post-launch additions are not treated here as part of the game's original foundations from May 2026.

Deluxe and Premium Editions include different bonuses, vehicles and additional content. Two major expansions are also planned after launch; they remain separate from the base content covered in this entry.