The Forza Horizon video games know easy methods to make an entrance, and Forza Horizon 6 is not any outlier.
Inside moments of my hands-on preview starting, the now-traditional intro sequence had me barrelling by means of the hills of breathtaking rural Japan within the sport’s newest cowl automobile – the 2025 GR GT Prototype – hovering previous iconic landmarks, rushing down the Japanese Alps, and openly skidding as much as a stay rocket launch. That is the Forza expertise the group needs you to have – modern, superfast driving with an impeccable backdrop. After which, like some kind of petrol-fumed fever dream, the prologue is over and also you’re left to find this world for your self.
In Forza Horizon 6, you’re no circuit celebrity, right here to rub shoulders with racing’s best. Not but, anyway. You’re a fan, a pageant vacationer, visiting Japan on a whim with two good associates. The Horizon Pageant is in full swing, however your invite for the Invitational isn’t even within the put up but. You’ll have to qualify for the Invitational by proving your price.
For newcomers, this narrative makes absolute sense as a tutorial when you familiarize yourself with how these fantastically designed autos deal with, their nuances, how they every reply to the surroundings, and what you’ll must be driving for every sort of exercise.
“Japan is such an thrilling, attention-grabbing, intriguing location that many individuals have wished from [the Horizon] franchise for a very long time, that we’ve wished to do for a very long time,” Design Director Torben Ellert tells us in a brand new episode of the Official Xbox Podcast. “What would it not really feel like if the Pageant was there? It wouldn’t dominate Japan, it could be a part of Japan, and with that we requested: ‘how can we give gamers permission to simply be in Japan?’ Effectively – tourism.”
One early sport race is a good, unpredictable zip by means of Tokyo’s city district that allowed my modest first automobile – a 30-year-old Toyota Cecilia GT-4 – to shine (actually) by means of the dense, neon-soaked hotspots of Ginko Avenue and Shibuya Crossing. One other race is a cross-country affair filled with tough terrain and water, and your starter off-roader, a ’70s GMC Jimmy, is the proper accompaniment for these tumultuous routes.
However what makes Forza Horizon 6 really feel extremely particular is how seamless and welcoming this tackle Japan is. When you’re by means of a brief part of introduction, the world is all yours. The marketing campaign is there to information you thru the ranks and races on the coronary heart of the sport. Your automobile’s built-in AI information is there to supply route in the event you really feel genuinely caught. There’s a “golden path” so that you can take – however there’s no have to take it at something aside from your individual tempo. For essentially the most half, the aim is solely: Discover.
And that feels just like the true innovation on the coronary heart of Forza Horizon 6 – greater than ever earlier than, the sport duties you with discovering what you wish to do subsequent, moderately than merely heading from icon to icon on the map. It’s a philosophy that suffuses the sport – there’s at all times one other race within the Pageant ‘marketing campaign’ to finish, however there’s an equal sense that in the event you simply take a unique flip, you can uncover one thing for your self.
The clearest trace to that change comes from the map itself – for the primary time, a Horizon sport has a “fog of struggle”, with the map unveiling as you journey by means of it. It provides you an actual sense of your journey by means of the sport at a look, to not point out makes every new icon really feel like a discovery moderately than one thing you merely pointed your GPS at.
“This new system is designed to inform you the place you could have been and what you could have seen in a extremely legible approach,” Ellert explains. “We’ve got this rule with the entire Uncover Japan content material the place in the event you discover it, you may play it.”
“In the end, freedom is a core design pillar for us – we’ve actually tried to not power you to go and do a particular factor, however as a substitute, tempt you into going and doing them.”
Throughout my preview time, these discoveries included Time Assaults, which allow you to set a greatest time on a particular lap round a route. In the meantime, Drag Races are there for that insatiable urge to simply go actually, actually quick, with out having to fret about arbitrary nonsense like steering or corners. Each of those actions include the added bonus of drawing from the broader participant pool, and your pals record, to behave like uneven multiplayer – these tracks shall be crammed with ghost automobiles from actual gamers, and billboards displaying greatest instances will continuously beckon you to attempt to beat their scores.
What made that have even richer was the brand new Aftermarket Automobiles characteristic. As you journey by means of the world, now you can discover time-limited alternatives to purchase new automobiles at cheaper-than-normal costs. For me, that was stumbling upon a black Dodge SRT Demon, parked proper subsequent to a Drag Race spot, and I luckily had sufficient credit on-hand to buy it instantly. The banged-up Toyota I dropped at the Drag Race? Relegated to the storage. The Dodge? Instantly in my palms, able to take for a spin.
In line with Ellert, the Aftermarket Automobiles characteristic is knowledgeable by the need to place attention-grabbing automobiles which can be related to your gameplay expertise proper in entrance of you when you’re exploring, if that’s your most popular factor to do: “It’s a delicate suggestion of ‘hey, do that automobile out, take this automobile to this occasion’ – and it’s my hope that extra individuals will expertise these great machines by us inserting them within the open world, and making them cheaper to buy.”
To push that have to discover even additional, every space of Horizon’s Japan has a sequence of collectible mascots dotted round areas, which grant a small reward when collected. A few of them are set out on the aspect of the highway, simply spottable as you move, and a few are tucked away, goading you to nosey down an as-yet unexplored path.
It’s a step ahead for the Horizon sequence so as to add actions that make exploration really feel not simply viable, however thrilling. There’s at all times a cause to veer astray and take a highway you’ve by no means been down, poke round a suburb or a forest, or just simply cease to have a look at the sun-soaked horizon in entrance of you and simply… drive in direction of it, as a result of you may.
It’s the interconnectivity of all of those actions that make Forza Horizon 6 really feel so magically immersive this time round. Each aim, side-mission or collectible merchandise is correct there on the highway with you – whether or not it’s choosing up a mascot, testing your automobile’s paces at a Time Assault cease, or difficult a passing participant’s Drivatar to a fast battle.
These options prolong approach past what we noticed within the preview too – the Journal is one other contemporary addition to Forza Horizon 6 that provides one other layer of intrigue to the world round you. With the Journal, you may acquire images of iconic landmarks and hotspots, to create your individual customized account of your journey in Japan.
The personalization will also be felt inside Horizon 6’s storage customization choices – which we received a small glimpse of at Mei’s home – your first “base” within the sport. Every dwelling you buy from there on out comes with its personal storage that you could design nonetheless you want – deck it out with furnishings, floodlights, odd objects, or depart the automobiles to be the star of the present. It’s fully as much as you – your journey, your area.
It’s, as Ellert places it, about “giving gamers company over the place the place they maintain their automobiles.” You may construct one thing grounded, sensible and gritty, like a storage, or one thing wildly ephemeral like a secret lair or a dinosaur jungle, – or no matter else you may consider.
“That simply felt in-line with what we noticed gamers doing, and we all know that having company over the world, and with the ability to earn and construct one thing that’s yours, is a extremely enjoyable and compelling factor.”
With extra causes to easily hop into your chosen automobile and drive – not simply since you’re making an attempt to win races or climb Pageant ranks – Forza Horizon 6 faucets into greater than only a love of driving competitively. It’s obsessed with exploration in a approach we’ve by no means seen inside a Horizon sport – it invitations you to discover the world, unlock the map, take your favourite autos out for a spin since you really feel prefer it, as a result of there’s something on the market on supply, one thing to find. Your automobiles aren’t only a software for victory and prowess, they change into your accomplice on this mesmerizing journey. And with a wide ranging surroundings like ray-traced Japan, it’s extremely exhausting to refuse.
Forza Horizon 6 launches Could 19, 2026, and shall be accessible on Xbox Collection X|S, Xbox on PC and Xbox Cloud as an Xbox Play Wherever title, and playable day one with Xbox Sport Move.
Take a look at the complete interview with Forza Horizon 6 Design Director Torben Ellert and Artwork Director Don Arceta within the newest episode of the Official Xbox Podcast, linked above.
Forza Horizon 6
Xbox Sport Studios
☆☆☆☆☆
126
★★★★★
Pre-order Forza Horizon 6 now and get a pre-tuned and unique Ferrari J50 in-game!
Uncover the breathtaking landscapes of Japan in over 550 real-world automobiles and change into a racing Legend on the Horizon Pageant. Begin your journey as a vacationer and discover a world filled with hit music and Japanese tradition. Construct a Valley Property, purchase awe-inspiring houses, and show your prized automobile assortment in totally Customizable Garages. Cruise the roads with your pals and be part of Automobile Meets round Japan, unleash your creativeness with EventLab and construct collectively in Horizon CoLab.*
Your journey to a Horizon Legend begins now – Japan Awaits!
EXPERIENCE TOKYO, HORIZON’S LARGEST EVER CITY
Welcome to Japan, a spot the place the beautiful contrasts of rural and concrete come collectively as you uncover the secrets and techniques hidden inside Horizon’s most dense map but, filled with verticality, numerous biomes and spectacular driving experiences. Cruise the suburbs and iconic downtown streets or problem your self within the docks and industrial districts of Tokyo Metropolis, the most important ever city space in a Forza Horizon sport, and the house for automobile lovers.
FEEL IMMERSED IN JAPANESE CAR CULTURE
Drive over 550 real-world automobiles, together with some a lot beloved and fan favourite JDM classics, that includes cutting-edge engine audio and up to date steering animations with as much as 540 levels of wheel rotation. As you discover Japan, acquire particular Forza Version automobiles fitted with excessive modifications and discover uncommon Aftermarket Automobiles to check drive and purchase. Your path to creating a reputation for your self will see you meet the Legends of the Horizon Pageant, take part in Touge Battles, and expertise genuine tales rooted in Japan’s legendary automobile tradition.
RACE AND DISCOVER IN JAPAN
In Forza Horizon 6, you’ll discover an unlimited marketing campaign of discovery and Pageant racing, playable solo and in co-op with your pals.* You’ll begin as a vacationer and should show you’ve received what it takes to affix the Horizon Pageant as a rookie driver, all when you Uncover Japan and full your Assortment Journal. Qualify for the Pageant within the Horizon Invitational, then rise by means of the ranks in progressively sooner automobiles and earn new Wristbands to change into a Horizon Legend. Your newfound standing will grant you entry to Legend Island, an unique area reserved for the best drivers.
MAKE THE WHOLE WORLD YOURS
Your journey will see you buy attractive houses in Japan, every with customizable garages – permitting you to create the best areas to showcase your automobile assortment, or you may obtain layouts shared on-line by the group. Unlock the Property, a mountain valley the place you may construct freely within the open world, creating practically something you may think about. And on your favourite automobiles, these could be upgraded with physique kits and new Forza Aero choices, in addition to the power to color customized liveries on home windows.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY IN MULTIPLAYER
This Pageant is at all times higher with your pals.* Seamlessly take part in Time Assault Circuits and Drag Meets or exhibit your personalized automobiles at Automobile Meets. Earn new co-op LINK abilities with different gamers, compete in Spec Racing Championships, or soar into the Horizon Multiplayer modes you already know and love together with The Eliminator and nailbiting Conceal & Search.
BUILD TOGETHER, ANYWHERE IN JAPAN
Create with unprecedented freedom anyplace in Japan as you construct customized occasions with your pals in CoLab, the upgraded EventLab toolset – now that includes multiplayer assist* and the power to construct actually anyplace on the earth. Share your masterpieces for everybody to play and uncover an at all times evolving catalog of thrilling new content material created by the group.
THE FESTIVAL FOR EVERY DRIVER
Hit the open highway in our most approachable Horizon sport but. Our customization choices embrace Granular Excessive Distinction Mode, Automobile Proximity Radar, American and British Signal Language, and AutoDrive, permitting gamers to expertise the attractive automobiles, hit music and spectacular areas of the Horizon Pageant.
Uncover your Legend, and Discover the Contrasts and Tradition of Japan.
*On-line console multiplayer requires a Sport Move subscription that features on-line multiplayer, bought individually.
