Forza Horizon 6 – Latest News And Release Date

Forza Horizon 6 release date extends past traditional cycles as the series prepares for a significant leap forward. Here’s what we know so far.

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TL;DR – Latest Updates

Growing rumors of a Forza Horizon 6 announcement expected at Summer Game Fest (June 6-9, 2025)
Likely to be released in 2026 to avoid competing with GTA VI’s planned Fall 2025 launch
Expected to be Xbox Series X|S and PC release with day-one Game Pass (No Xbox One)
Likely to be Xbox/PC exclusive at launch, despite FH5’s upcoming PlayStation release
The home of drifting, Japan, remains the rumored location, backed by recent Playground Games hints
Possible competition brewing from Amazon Games’ racing project, led by former FH5 Creative Director
Rumors suggest FH6 could be the final Horizon title

Introduction

From the start, the Forza franchise has showcased the capabilities of the Xbox Consoles and their unique approach to the racing genre.

Forza Motorsport focuses on the simulator(ish) racing experience, offering enthusiasts the opportunity to refine their skills on the track.

On the other hand, the Horizon series provides open-world freedom with an arcade-style vibe for those looking for a little less seriousness and more fun. It allows you to push almost every vehicle you can think of to its limits on just about every terrain imaginable.

The news of Forza Horizon 4 being delisted on December 15, 2024, ignited the rumor mill once again, with many wondering whether Playground Games would begin shifting the focus fully to the upcoming Horizon 6.

January 2025 brought the release of the FH5 Ultimate Car Pack, bundling all previous DLC, suggesting Playground Games is wrapping up the FH5 journey.

This speculation intensified when Microsoft made the unprecedented announcement that Forza Horizon 5 will arrive on PlayStation platforms in Spring 2025 - marking the series’ first departure from Xbox exclusivity.

With FH5’s chapter clearly drawing to a close, the timing feels perfect for a Forza Horizon 6 announcement. The new title will likely return to Xbox and PC exclusivity at launch, following Microsoft’s strategy of platform expansion only after establishing their flagship titles.

While we’re still waiting for an official Forza Horizon 6 release date, we’ll keep you informed with the latest news, leaks, trailers, and any other relevant information in this article.

Want something to play while you wait for the Horizon 6 release? Check out our exclusive free-to-play browser game, Drift Hunters MAX. Just like Horizon, you get AI traffic, drift challenges, and competitive leaderboards!

Forza Horizon 6 Release Date

Many fans hoped for a confirmed Forza Horizon 6 release date at the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase, but unfortunately, it wasn’t even mentioned.

With Playground Games maintaining radio silence throughout 2024, a 2025 launch would require an unusually short marketing campaign for such a major title.

However, recent rumors suggest we might see the first FH6 announcement at Summer Game Fest, scheduled for June 6-9, 2025. The last four Horizon games were also announced in May or June, so this date would align perfectly.

If they did intend to release FH6 in 2025, it release would likely clash with the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, which looks to be arriving in Fall 2025.

Although the two games target different audiences, GTA 6’s hype poses a significant threat – especially considering GTA V’s record-breaking 205 million copies sold.

Few publishers would risk launching alongside what’s considered the biggest gaming release of all time, potentially affecting Playground Games’ launch strategy.

These factors, combined with the recent PlayStation announcement for FH5, strongly suggest a 2026 release for Forza Horizon 6 is the most realistic timeline.

Xbox Series X|S Forza Horizon 6 Release Date

Forza Horizon 6 is expected to release exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC, departing from previous titles that included last-gen consoles.

This focused development approach enables Playground Games to push the technical boundaries further and deliver more ambitious open-world environments without the constraints of older hardware.

Moving away from the Xbox One will allow the developers to fully harness current-gen capabilities, addressing the performance limitations of Forza Horizon 5.

Xbox One Forza Horizon 6 Release Date

Given the anticipated technical requirements, FH6 will likely exceed the capabilities of the Xbox One console. This means that fans must upgrade to a Series X|S console or ensure their PC meets the minimum requirements to avoid disappointment.

The growing adoption of Series X|S hardware means Xbox One support is steadily declining. The aging console’s technical limitations make it increasingly challenging to deliver modern gaming experiences, especially for large, open-world environments.

PC Forza Horizon 6 Release Date

Microsoft’s platform strategy ensures Forza Horizon 6 will launch simultaneously on PC and Xbox Series X|S, maintaining the series’ established release pattern.

PC players are expected to be able to enjoy the full Horizon 6 experience without owning an Xbox, complete with “Cross-play” and cross-save features for seamless platform switching.

While high-end PCs can potentially exceed the Xbox Series X’s performance, the significant cost difference makes console gaming an attractive option for most players.

Game Pass Release Date (Xbox Cloud Gaming)

Following Forza Horizon 5’s record-breaking Game Pass launch, the next entry is expected to be available on the Game Pass subscription service from day one.

Will Forza Horizon 6 Be On PS4/PS5?

While Microsoft recently announced Forza Horizon 5’s upcoming arrival on PlayStation platforms in Spring 2025, Forza Horizon 6 will likely remain Xbox/PC exclusive at launch. This aligns with Microsoft’s strategy of keeping flagship titles exclusive initially.

The PlayStation version of FH5 will arrive around 3.5 years after its Xbox debut – a move that surprised many given Microsoft’s previous stance on exclusivity. Given the recent developments, future PlayStation releases might come sooner, but for now, FH6 is expected to remain an Xbox/PC exclusive for quite some time after launch.

Forza Horizon 6 News

The 2024 Xbox Games Showcase left fans disappointed when Playground Games focused on their Fable reboot, with no mention of Forza Horizon 6.

Given the cancellation of E3 2025, Summer Game Fest (June 6-9, 2025) presents the next likely venue for any FH6 announcements. However, given GTA VI’s Fall 2025 launch, Microsoft may opt to delay both announcement and release into 2026.

The gap between FH5 and FH6 will be longer than previous entries, aligning with Microsoft’s reported shift toward 4-6 year development cycles for AAA games, rather than the 2-3 year cycles we’ve seen previously.

Past Forza Horizon release date cycles:

Forza Horizon – October 2012 (Announced May 2012)
Forza Horizon 2 – September 2014 (Announced May 2014)
Forza Horizon 3 – September 2016 (Announced June 2016)
Forza Horizon 4 – September 2018 (Announced June 2018)
Forza Horizon 5 – November 2021 (Announced June 2021)
Forza Horizon 6 – Fall 2025/2026? (Announcement June 2025?)

This extended development approach follows Forza Motorsport’s pattern, which launched in October 2023 after several delays. These FM delays have likely influenced the Horizon series’ timeline as well.

Forza Horizon 6 Location

In the Forza Horizon franchise, we’ve already been treated to the following locations:

Forza Horizon – Colorado, USA
Forza Horizon 2 – Southern France and Northern Italy
Forza Horizon 3 – Australia
Forza Horizon 4 – England and Scotland (U.K.)
Forza Horizon 5 – Mexico

Is Forza Horizon 6 Set In Japan?

The latest rumors and leaks about Horizon 6 point to the game being set in the land of the rising sun. How great would that be?

While the Horizon Festival has given us some awesome locations like the USA, Europe, Australia, the U.K., and Mexico, Japan is the holy grail for us drift fanatics – it’s where our beloved sport was born and perfected.

Imagine shredding through the winding mountain passes of Hakone or Irohazaka, recreating those Initial D moments we’ve all dreamed about. If that’s too much to ask, there’s also the potential for epic urban drifting in Tokyo’s neon-lit streets. With legendary JDM manufacturers like Honda, Nissan, and Toyota calling Japan home, we’d be in for a treat.

Japan remains largely unexplored in open-world racing games despite its rich automotive culture. While iconic tracks like Suzuka appear in F1 games and Gran Turismo 7 features both Suzuka and a fictional Tokyo Expressway, the country’s diverse landscapes and urban environments are underrepresented. This gap presents a unique opportunity for Forza Horizon 6 to showcase Japan’s varied terrain, from bustling cityscapes to tight and twisty touge mountain passes.

However, while FH6 drags its heels, other up-and-coming drifting games aim to fill the Japanese void.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master offers over 250 kilometers of diverse Japanese roads across its fictional Guntama prefecture and is expected to launch in Spring 2025. The open-world map is set to include tourist areas, traditional towns, and touge roads inspired by real Japanese locations.

CarX Drift Racing 3 is bringing the entire Ebisu Complex, along with Kami Road making a comeback. CarX Street also offers players an awesome alternative open-world drifting experience.

However, this fan-made trailer gives you an idea of how Japan could look in FH6. Pretty sweet, huh?

In case the rumors about Japan aren’t true, there’s always a chance that FH6 players get to travel to places like:

Germany

Germany offers a European setting with a rich automotive heritage. Players could race through scenic landscapes featuring castles, autobahns, and the Black Forest.

The country’s varied terrain would provide excellent street racing and rally-style opportunities. Germany’s car culture, home to brands like Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, would naturally fit the Horizon Festival theme.

Egypt

Egypt would offer a unique and visually striking environment for the series. The game could feature races around ancient pyramids, along the Nile River, and through bustling modern cities like Cairo.

The contrast between desert landscapes and lush river valleys would create unique driving experiences. Iconic landmarks could serve as spectacular backdrops for showcase events and challenges.

China

China’s vast and varied landscape would provide an expansive playground for Forza Horizon 6. Players could race along the Great Wall, through futuristic cityscapes like Shanghai, and across rural rice paddies.

The country’s diverse geography, from mountains to coastlines, would offer a wide range of driving conditions. China’s growing car culture and mix of ancient and modern architecture would create a visually stunning and culturally rich setting for the Horizon Festival.

What The Fans Want To See In Forza Horizon 6

Despite a rough start following its initial launch, Forza Horizon 5 eventually won over the majority of fans, and the game is still very active today, with frequently added new challenges, cars, track add-ons, and playlists to enjoy.

Mike Brown, the Creative Director of Forza Horizon 5, caused a shock after he left Playground Games in 2023. Several other veterans also left alongside him. While many were initially disappointed by the news, it has left fans hopeful of a new direction for the new game.

A fresh start could be the perfect opportunity to provide more meaningful gameplay beyond simply accumulating points and collecting cars in your garage. This opens up many potentially exciting possibilities with a new story mode.

Many fans feel that carrying over the progress from Horizon 4 was convenient for FH5 gamers. However, it meant that the game lacked any real progression to work towards that many desired. Rather than having everything handed on a plate, having to go back to the grind of experiencing the excitement of unlocking your favorite cars could make the game much more exciting.

New Features & Challenges

We’d love to see a proper progression system that starts with slower cars and improves race variety to enhance the gameplay experience. Maybe even licenses as we used to enjoy in the OG first-edition Gran Turismo games. (I guess we’re showing our age here!)

It’d also be great to see more race types seamlessly integrated into the map, offering a wider range of challenges and experiences. There’s also a desire for better-designed roads that create more engaging and natural racing environments, moving away from awkwardly placed races seen in previous titles.

Additionally, the idea of separate maps for different game modes, such as the Eliminator, has gained traction among fans. This approach could provide tailored experiences for specific game types, potentially offering more immersive and focused gameplay for each mode.

While Horizon 5 is undoubtedly a great game, we’re sure you’ll agree that the features and challenges lack the exciting feeling the previous Horizons had.

In-Game Content

Forza Horizon 6 fans hope for a larger, more diverse map offering various environments. Moving exclusively to next-gen consoles and high-end PCs would make it far easier for Playground Games to improve the map size substantially. If we could explore the cities and the touge mountain roads of the Japanese countryside, it’d be a dream come true for many enthusiasts.

Another exciting addition could be an in-game airport, allowing players to “fly” to famous real-world circuits, as seen in Forza Motorsport. This would expand the game’s scope beyond a single location and offer more variety.

With an incredible display of evolution in AI since Forza Horizon 5’s release, we hope to see improvements across the board.

Graphical Enhancements

While this is pretty much a given, we’d rather see the team focus on the content and physics of the game. Sure, it’s always great to see shiny new visuals, but we all know that the appeal only lasts so long.

Fans hope for enhanced realism through full animation of car controls. This includes visible interactions with the horn, handbrake, clutch, and other vehicle components that have previously been missing, adding a new layer of immersion to the game.

Improved In-Game Customization

Many eagerly anticipate enhanced customization options, allowing them to truly personalize their vehicles with more in-depth customization, including a wider range of visual mods and body kits.

It would also be great to see improved rim customization, with the ability to upgrade individual wheels, potentially allowing for different front and rear rims, as seen on missile drift cars or pros that have run out of tires.

Another great feature would be aero options that are visually compatible with different car models, moving away from boring the one-size-fits-all approach of previous games.

A wildcard request would be hitching trailers or caravans to your ride. Imagine how awesome that would be while throwing it down sideways on the touge!

Will Horizon Festival Return for Horizon 6?

We will likely get some form of the Horizon Festival for the upcoming video game. After all, the festivals have been an integral part of the series for almost a decade now, and it will be a huge risk to drop it.

Thanks to the challenges in these events, we get more vehicles and ways to extend our gaming sessions. Inside Forza Horizon 6, we could have the same formula as Horizon 5. In other words, we will find new stuff monthly.

Forza Horizon 6 Expected Car List

The Forza Horizon 5 Car List didn’t disappoint, providing over 530 cars at the initial launch, and we expect the same story with Horizon 6.

We hope that the new game can incorporate new models from Forza Motorsport, and we also hope that the update will feature an expanded selection of unique and rare JDM drift and race cars to represent the local automotive culture.

Fans are hoping for a more varied lineup, focusing on different car brands rather than multiple variants of the same model and including unique options like Kei cars and trucks, with the Toyota Hiace van going down fantastically well with Gran Turismo 7 fans in recent updates.

To address previous criticisms, the developers should also aim to retain popular cars from earlier series entries.

Recent additions to the Forza Horizon 5 car list in 2024 have got fans talking about the number of new JDM cars – more than any other region. There was also a huge Japanese-branded car rim update from legendary manufacturers like 5Zigen, Advan, Enkei, and Gram Lights, significantly expanding the customization options, as many requested.

This focus on Japanese automotive culture suggests that Playground Games listens to fan requests. It also raises hopes that Forza Horizon 6 might feature an even more extensive selection of rare and iconic Japanese vehicles. Unsurprisingly, this has added even more fuel to the fire, with them already screaming for Japan to be the Forza Horizon 6 location!

Here are some of the JDM cars we’ve seen added recently:

1991 Toyota Chaser GT Twin Turbo
1991 Toyota Sera
1992 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
1993 Autozam AZ-1
1995 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR
1995 Toyota MR2 GT
1996 Subaru SVX
1997 Mitsubishi Montero
1997 Nissan Stagea RS Four V
1997 Toyota Soarer 2.5 GT-T
1998 Mitsubishi FTO GP Version R
2022 Subaru WRX
2023 Nissan Z

While you wait for Horizon 6, why not check out the Fastest Drag Car in Forza Horizon 5 and practice your drag racing skills before the new game drops?

Is There A New Forza Horizon 6 Competitor?

Forza Horizon 6 is set to face unexpected competition from a familiar source. In May 2024, Maverick Games, a new AAA studio led by Forza Horizon 5’s former creative director Mike Brown, announced a rival open-world driving game. The currently unnamed project, described as a “narrative-led, open-world driving game,” is being published by Amazon Games and will be available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

The competition is particularly intriguing because several senior staff members from the Forza Horizon series have joined Maverick Games to work on this new project. This development not only introduces a potentially strong competitor in the open-world racing genre but also raises questions about how the departure of key talent might impact the future direction of the Forza Horizon series.

While the prospect of another open-world game is undoubtedly exciting news for fans, we hope it will also force Playground Games to deliver their best effort yet to fight against the competition.

Forza Horizon 6 Release Date FAQs

This answers your questions about the upcoming newest addition to the Forza Horizon series.

Where will Forza Horizon 6 take place?

If the latest rumors are true, it sounds like the dream location for many Horizon enthusiasts may well be on the agenda: the land of the rising sun – Japan. With Forza Horizon 5 being set in Mexico, seeing a fresh take on the Horizon series will surely be exciting.

When is Forza Horizon 6 coming out?

With rumors pointing to a Summer Game Fest 2025 announcement and Microsoft likely wanting to avoid competing with GTA VI’s Fall 2025 launch, Forza Horizon 6 is expected to arrive in 2026.

What is the Forza Horizon 6 location?

Currently, the strongest rumors point to the home of drifting – Japan. The twisty touge mountain roads make for the perfect street drifting location. However, Germany, Egypt, and China have all been suggested as potential alternatives.

Is there a Forza Horizon 7?

No, there are some rumors that Forza Horizon 6 will be Playground Games’ last game in the series. This rumor could mean we might not get a Horizon for a long time, or they could give this branch to another studio.

Is there a new Forza Motorsport?

Forza Motorsport was released on October 10, 2023 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. There are no official announcements about another Forza Motorsport game coming soon, with Forza Horizon 6 being the next arrival in the Forza series.

Will Forza Horizon 6 be on Xbox One?

We don’t expect to see FH6 on Xbox One as Microsoft shifts focus to current-gen hardware, allowing Playground Games to fully utilize Xbox Series X|S capabilities without being held back by last-gen limitations.