Forza Horizon 6

IBBOB Score 9.1 out of 10

Quick Facts

Platforms

pc, xbox, ps5

Price

high

Playtime

long

Difficulty

Approachable by default, with enough racing, tuning, Touge Battles, and multiplayer depth for players who want a sharper driving challenge

Modes

Single-player open-world racing campaign, online multiplayer, online co-op, online PvP, car meets, EventLab, Horizon CoLab, and cross-save across supported platforms

Best For

• Players who want a huge open-world racing game built around Japan, Tokyo streets, rural roads, and car culture
• Anyone who likes collecting, tuning, painting, and displaying real-world cars as much as winning races
• Groups who want a polished driving game that supports cruising, co-op events, car meets, and competitive multiplayer

Skip If

• Players who want a strict track simulator with punishing realism above all else
• Anyone who dislikes open-world checklists, festival structure, or a long car-collection grind
• People looking for a small campaign rather than a broad racing sandbox with multiplayer and creation tools

Forza Horizon 6 is the biggest racing recommendation to watch right now because Playground Games has finally put the Horizon Festival in Japan. The pitch is direct: explore Japan in more than 550 real-world cars, start as a tourist, prove yourself at the Horizon Festival, and turn the country into a playground for racing, collecting, cruising, building, and meeting other drivers.

As of May 15, 2026, the official release date is May 19, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Premium Edition Early Access starting May 15. Playground Games also says the game is coming to PS5 later this year.

Why It Stands Out

Forza Horizon 6 matters because Japan is not just a backdrop here. The official pages are built around Japanese car culture, Tokyo streets, rural and urban contrast, Touge Battles, car meets, homes, garages, and a campaign where becoming a Horizon Legend is tied to discovering the country rather than only clearing race icons.

The headline feature is Tokyo. Playground Games says Tokyo City is five times larger than Guanajuato from Forza Horizon 5, with verticality, suburbs, downtown roads, docks, and industrial districts. That matters because Forza Horizon is at its best when the map itself becomes the reason to keep driving after the next event marker disappears.

It also looks like a more complete social racing platform. Solo campaign progression is still here, but the official feature list also leans on co-op, Time Attack Circuits, Drag Meets, Car Meets, Spec Racing Championships, The Eliminator, Hide & Seek, EventLab, and Horizon CoLab. That gives Forza Horizon 6 a cleaner reason to stay installed after the first rush of map discovery. The game is also verified for Steam Deck and supports cross-save across the platforms it ships on.

Official Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2483190/_6/

Gameplay

• Japan as an open-world racing playground. The Steam page focuses on the contrast between urban Tokyo, rural roads, biomes, docks, industrial spaces, and scenic routes, which should make exploration feel more varied than a simple highway network.
• More than 550 real-world cars. The car list is the backbone of the appeal, especially with JDM classics, Forza Edition cars, rare Aftermarket Cars, body kits, Forza Aero options, custom liveries, and display garages.
• Festival progression with a clearer ladder. You start as a tourist, qualify through the Horizon Invitational, earn Wristbands, rise through faster cars, and eventually unlock Legend Island.
• Multiplayer built around more than racing. Car Meets, Drag Meets, Time Attack, co-op LINK skills, Spec Racing, The Eliminator, and Hide & Seek all make the social side broader than standard head-to-head competition.
• Creation tools with real reach. EventLab returns through Horizon CoLab, with multiplayer support and the ability to build anywhere in Japan, which could be the long-tail feature if the community adopts it.

Steam screenshot showing the game’s Japan setting and the dense city-road identity that makes Tokyo the headline location.

Steam screenshot showing the broader open-world driving appeal beyond formal race events.

Who Should Play It

Players who want a premium open-world racing game where Japan, car culture, collection, multiplayer, and creative events all matter together.

Platforms

Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5 later in 2026. The official pages also call out Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Steam Deck verification, full controller support, and cross-save.

Price

As of May 15, 2026, the Steam page lists the standard edition at $69.99 USD. Regional pricing can vary by storefront locale.

Official Release Date

May 19, 2026

Play Next

Gran Turismo 7 A useful contrast if your racing taste leans more toward track discipline and car simulation than open-world festival freedom. Grand Theft Auto VI A strong next stop if what excites you most is a premium open world with driving, city spectacle, and a huge sense of place. Minecraft Better if the Estate and EventLab creation side is what really grabs you, and you want a broader long-term creative sandbox.

Related Guides

Games Worth Playing in 2026 Start here if you want to compare Forza Horizon 6 against the broader 2026 shortlist of games worth serious time. Best Games with Great Exploration Open this if your main question is whether Japan, Tokyo, and the open roads give the game enough discovery pull beyond racing. Best Multiplayer Games Still Worth Starting in 2026 Useful if you mainly care about whether the multiplayer, co-op, and car-meet side can become a repeat-session game. Best Online Games for Casual Groups Use this if your group wants something social and lower-pressure than a pure competitive racing ladder.