When Is Forza Horizon 6 Coming To PlayStation 5?

Following Forza Horizon 5’s surprise PS5 announcement, we explore what the future has in store for the next game in the series – Horizon 6.

The gaming world experienced one of the biggest plot twists to kick off 2025. Sony and Microsoft delivered what would’ve been unthinkable a few years (or even months) ago.

Forza Horizon 5, which many once considered the holy grail of exclusive Xbox racing games, is set to arrive on PlayStation 5 this Spring. (It still feels weird typing those words!)

A staggering 44 million Xbox players have already been shredding tires across its Mexican landscapes, even before its arrival on PS consoles. This makes Forza Horizon 5 one of Microsoft’s most successful gaming franchises. It’s pretty impressive for what started as a spin-off of the more serious track-based Forza Motorsport series in 2012!

Unsurprisingly, the shock move has left both Xbox and PlayStation gamers wondering whether Horizon 6 will follow suit. Given that Microsoft’s plans are clearly changing, the answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Let’s dive into what we know.

Will Horizon 6 Come To PlayStation 5 On Day One?

Right now, we doubt a day-one release will be the case. Although we expect Forza Horizon 6 to eventually make its way to PlayStation 5, we’d be surprised to see a day-one launch alongside Xbox and PC. It’s unlikely the two former rivals are that friendly just yet!

Microsoft’s timing with the FH5 PlayStation port feels like a clever move. Introducing PS5 players to the franchise three years after its original release (with interest fading on Xbox) is likely paving the way for something bigger in the background.

What better way to generate buzz for a franchise that’s no longer getting the hype it once did?

The plan makes total sense – roll out the final DLC package as a farewell, drop the bombshell PlayStation announcement, let the excitement build, and then reveal Forza Horizon 6 news while the hype train is at full steam.

Then, by once again keeping the next installment Xbox/PC exclusive at launch (following their usual playbook,) they’ll build more FOMO than ever among PlayStation players.

Once the Xbox excitement has served its course, we expect to see them port it over to PlayStation a couple of years later, giving PlayStation fans a case of déjà vu by drumming up fresh publicity again.

There are some technical hurdles to consider, too. Playground Games hasn’t developed a game specifically for PlayStation hardware, so they let Panic Button do the job. This alone makes day-one parity pretty unlikely.

However, it may get interesting if FH5 absolutely tears up the PlayStation sales charts. In this case, Microsoft might then decide to fast-track its multiplatform plans for FH6. (Money talks, after all!)

There’s also a wild card to consider – rumors suggest that Horizon 6 could potentially be the final game in the franchise. If this turns out to be true, it could change everything about how Microsoft handles its release.

When Is Forza Horizon 6 Coming Out?

Forza Horizon 6 has already proven that it has no plans to follow the series’ usual release schedule. While previous games mostly stuck to a two-year cycle, Horizon 6 has taken over three years and counting.

FH5 landed on Xbox consoles in November 2021. Since then, Playground Games has been busy with their Fable reboot, which has pulled their resources away from the Horizon 6 development.

Although an official release date has yet to be confirmed, it looks possible we might get to see our first glimpse of FH6 at Summer Game Fest 2025 (June 6-9), along with an official launch date.

However, there’s also a chance that Microsoft might pump the brakes and hold off until 2026. It probably won’t come as a huge surprise why…

What’s possibly the most anticipated game release of all time that everyone’s talking about (endlessly) – Grand Theft Auto VI, which is supposed to arrive in Fall 2025 (despite what feels like a new “delay” rumor every other day!)

With GTA VI set to dominate Fall 2025 and beyond (assuming Rockstar sticks to their schedule), launching any game anytime near then would be like trying to race the stock Peel P50 against the Koenigsegg Jesko in FH5.

A 2026 release would make perfect sense. It gives the Fable team time to wrap up and roll out the game while keeping Horizon 6 safely away from the crazy GTA VI anticipation. Meanwhile, Microsoft gets to see how the FH5 release goes on the PlayStation.

In addition, it means extra development time to polish what could be (especially if rumors about it being the last Horizon are true) the series’ biggest entry yet.

Forza Horizon 6 Location

While nothing’s officially confirmed yet, the rumor mill is working overtime about where the Festival will be heading next.

After visiting Colorado, Southern Europe, Australia, Britain, and Mexico previously, one major (and very relevant) region is suspiciously missing from the Horizon Festival’s world tour – Asia.

Japan is rumored to be the most likely choice (and we’re crossing everything in the hope it happens!) It’s been the most requested location since the series began, and for good reason.

Imagine shredding your tires through the neon-lit Tokyo streets at night, then swerving your way around the JDM cars on the legendary touge mountain roads at dawn with cherry blossom petals floating past your windscreen. The contrast between densely packed cities and stunning rural landscapes also perfectly matches the series.

With that said, it’s hard to ignore Germany, which keeps popping up in rumors. The Nürburgring, Bavarian countryside, and ancient castles would also make for an awesome playground. However, it might feel a bit too similar to FH4’s European location – the UK.

Also, with Assetto Corsa EVO already announcing their new open-world mode, providing 1,600 square kilometers of German territory around the ‘Ring, it’d be a shame for two of the biggest racing games to cover the same location.

That’s why Japan feels like the perfect fit. The seasonal changes we loved in FH4 would look stunning there – from spring cherry blossoms to autumn momiji leaves. Add in Japan’s legendary drift and street car cultures, and you’ve got something special.

Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long to find out. Summer Game Fest this June might provide the answers we’re craving. After all these years of fan requests, could this finally be the moment Playground Games makes the JDM dreams a reality?

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