Microsoft has confirmed the release date of Forza Horizon 6 during today’s Xbox Developer Direct livestream — and there’s only a few months to go before you’ll be getting behind the wheel once again.
Forza Horizon 6 will launch for PC and Xbox Series X/S on May 19, with early access from May 15 for anyone who pays for the game’s Premium Edition. The game’s PlayStation 5 version is expected to arrive at a later date — though we still don’t know when exactly.
As announced last year, Forza Horizon 6 will be set in Japan — a location that has long been on the wishlist of many Forza fans. Amusingly, the setting was spoiled ahead of time by a real-life car import company connected to the game — which, if nothing else, showed that the development crew at Playground Games had been busy doing its homework.
Gameplay shown today revealed that you’ll initially play as a rookie racer who’s just a tourist in Japan. You’ll also be joined by two close friends, passionate motorsports enthusiast Jordy and experienced Japanese car builder Mei, who’ll give you an insider’s perspective on your journey.
Pick up wristbands and rise up the ranks, and you’ll soon be on your way around Japan — from its breathtaking rural mountains to the heart of Tokyo. 550 cars will be available in-game at launch — the most for any new Forza Horizon game — including the game’s cover cars, the 2025 GR GT Prototype and the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser.
A major new addition is the Estate — a large plot of land in the mountains you can build up from scratch, placing buildings, roads, and invite your friends in for a tour. The end of today’s showing revealed the briefest tease of a hulking Gundam — though that was all we got to see for now.
Playground Games art director Don Arceta and cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita spoke with IGN last year to discuss the decision to finally send the series to Japan, and how Forza Horizon 6’s Tokyo City will probably be the “most complex and intricate space of drivable area in a Horizon game yet.”
Today’s Xbox Developer Direct also includes fresh details on Fable, the fantasy reboot also being made by Forza Horizon developer Playground Games. Be sure to check our roundup of everything announced in the Xbox Developer Direct to catch up on the full show.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
