For years fans have been clamoring for a “Forza Horizon” game set in Japan, and back in September the developer Playground Games confirmed it would finally be happening with the upcoming sixth entry in the franchise. The initial teaser didn’t really tell us anything about the game, but at Xbox’s developer direct event on Thursday we got a twelve-minute gameplay overview video alongside tons of new information about the game, from some of its car list to new features and when the game will be releasing.
Don’t worry, you’re not going to have to wait long to play. “Forza Horizon 6” will launch on Xbox Series X/S and PC on May 19 (or four days earlier if you buy one of the premium editions), with the PS5 version to follow at some point in 2026. In what seems like a no-brainer choice, the cover car is Toyota’s new GR GT supercar, with a Land Cruiser in the background.
The largest world yet
The storyline for “Forza Horizon 6” will be similar to all the other Horizon games: You come to the country as a tourist for the made-up Horizon music festival, working your way up through the racing ranks while competing in all sorts of different showcases and special events — it seems like there’s even a giant Gundam robot that you’ll race against. Once you reach the peak, you’ll unlock the Legend Island, a new aspect to the series. The open-world map of Japan is the most expansive in the series’ history, with everything from a massive Tokyo city (five times larger than any previous city) to touge mountain passes, rural farmland, fast expressways and more. And like previous entries in the series, you’ll get to experience all four seasons.
More than 550 cars will be available at launch, the most ever, with many of them being Japanese cars or models that are dear to Japanese car culture. Cars will be way more customizable than before, both in terms of body parts and liveries, and the performance classes have been overhauled for a better balance. There’s now cosmetic tire wear that’s unique to each car, the graphics are improved overall, and the engine sounds will be even more realistic.
Beyond just the cars, players will be able to customize and decorate their houses and garages, putting their favorite cars on display, and you’ll be able to invite friends over. There will even be an empty estate that you can build into whatever you desire. There are new seamless multiplayer modes like time attack races and touge battles, and players will be able to host open car meets at locations like the iconic Daikoku parking area. There’s a lot more exciting details in the overview video, and we’ll surely get more waves of information before its release in the spring.
