Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 5 came out in late 2021, offering one of the biggest open-world settings for a racing game set in Mexico. And won the hearts of all the driving and racing fans across the globe. Everyone has been waiting for the next title, Forza Horizon 6, ever since. And now, we finally have a precise release date for it, as the Design Director Torben Ellert discussed building the landscape, the cultural inspirations, and the many new additions coming to the game at the Xbox Developers Direct 2026. With ever-higher expectations, FH 6 is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated racing games for 2026. Let’s talk more about the Forza Horizon 6 Release Date, gameplay, features, and more below.
Forza Horizon 6
The newest addition to the racing series, Forza Horizon 6, is an open-world racing game set in Japan, focusing on freedom, exploration, and car culture. You play as a tourist chasing the dream of joining the Horizon Festival, not a star racer from the start. You arrive in Japan with two close friends: Jordy, a motorsport fan, and Mei, a Japanese car builder who gives you an insider look at local culture and car scenes. The map mixes mountains, neon-lit city streets, docklands, and quiet suburbs, aiming to capture how Japan feels rather than copying every real road.
Tokyo is a major highlight, with areas like Shibuya Crossing, Ginkgo Avenue, and Tokyo Tower, plus dense streets, shortcuts, and huge vertical skylines full of glass and bright signs. The world is split into clear districts so you can quickly tell where you are and what kind of driving to expect. Progression keeps the familiar Horizon wristband system but adds the Collection Journal, inspired by Japanese stamp collecting.
You can unlock eight-player houses and a special, larger area called The Estate, inspired by rural “Akiya” properties, where you can build tracks, hideaways, and more using in-game credits. Car Meets, inspired by Japan’s Daikoku gatherings, let players meet, show off builds, download designs, and buy cars in social hubs. Moreover, the game launches with about 550 cars, including cover stars like the 2025 GR GT Prototype and the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, and places a strong emphasis on customization and community play. Explore more about the gameplay below.
Forza Horizon 6 Xbox and PC Release Date
The ultimate driving/ racing game, Forza Horizon 6, will hit Xbox Series X|S and PC on May 19, 2026. For the first time, this addition takes the racing series to Japan, hitting the virtual streets of Tokyo. What’s even better is that the game will also be available on Xbox Cloud, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and PC Game Pass from day one. It will also be an Xbox Play Anywhere title. And to jump in a few days earlier, you’ll have to buy the Ultimate/ Premium edition, details about which will be unveiled by the developers near the release date. In the meantime, you can pre-order the game now and receive an exclusive Ferrari J50 (pre-tuned).
Forza Horizon 6 PS5 Release Date
Right now, there’s no exact release date for Forza Horizon 6 on PlayStation 5. The developers at Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios have only confirmed it for Xbox Series X|S and PC, with a launch planned for later in 2026. That said, they did share good news for PS5 players: the game will come to PlayStation 5 sometime later this year. So, if all goes as planned, we can look forward to racing across Japan on PS5 in 2026, too. This release makes sense since Forza has always been an Xbox exclusive at heart, but the PS5 version shows they’re opening up to more players.
FH 6 First Gameplay Details
Here are the first big gameplay details for Forza Horizon 6:
- The game is set in Japan, mixing mountains, countryside, and a huge Tokyo city area.
- Tokyo is described as very dense, full of neon lights, glass buildings, and tall skyscrapers, and is much larger than any city the series has had before.
- The map is split into clear districts like suburbs, docklands, downtown Tokyo, and mountain passes for driving and drifting.
- The world has great seasonal changes that shift focus between open landscapes and crowded urban streets.
- You still have the classic wristband system, where you climb the ranks of the festival by racing and progressing.
- You can take photos of murals, landmarks, and other spots and save them in your Journal as a personal record of your journey.
- New open-world gameplay types include things like time attack circuits, drag-style meets, and skill-linking activities that give you more to do while free-roaming.
- Car Meets are new social hubs based on real Japanese car culture spots like Daikoku.
- You can hang out, see other players’ cars, download paint jobs, and even buy cars you see there.
- There are three main Car Meet locations, including one at the Horizon Festival, one near the Alps area, and one at Daikoku itself.
- There are eight player houses across Japan that act as fast travel points and garages you can decorate.
- On The Estate, you can build almost anything: a mountain hideout, a custom race track for friends, and more, using in-game credits.
- You spend credits to place items. And get those credits back if you delete them, so you are encouraged to experiment with builds.
- The game will launch with around 550 cars, including the cover stars: the 2025 GR GT Prototype and the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser.
Summary
Forza Horizon 6 officially launches on May 19, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PC (via Steam), and Xbox Cloud Gaming. And will release on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from day one. PlayStation 5 players will also get the game later in 2026, marking the franchise’s second release on the platform. Players can pre-order now, with Early Access available to Premium Edition owners starting May 15, 2026. giving them a head start on the festival and a chance to explore Japan before anyone else. Giving them a head start on the festival and a chance to explore Japan before anyone else. Also offering exclusive in-game rewards like the pre-tuned Ferrari J50 for early buyers. This release promises to deliver the most ambitious, biggest, detailed, and community-driven Horizon experience yet.
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