Forza Horizon 6: Everything you need to know about the new Forza Horizon game set in Japan

Forza Horizon 6 is officially coming our way this year, and it'll be putting you behind the wheel in Japan.

First officially revealed during the Tokyo Game Show 2025 showcase, the Xbox Developer Direct then raced onto the scene earlier this year to confirm the May 2026 release date. Following the stream which included a fresh teaser, developer Playground Games dropped some exciting details about the new game; revealing the cover cars and some features it'll be introducing (more on that below).

Set to be a big upcoming Xbox Series X games that will also be coming to PS5 later down the line, there's already plenty of reasons to get excited for the next entry in one of the best racing games series around. So, for a full recap of everything you need to know about Forza Horizon 6, from the cars to the map and much more, read on below.

Forza Horizon 6 release date

The Forza 6 Horizon release date is for May 19, 2026 on Xbox Series X/S and PC. This news came our way during the recent Xbox Developer Direct showcase on January 22.

A Spring release date was already in the wild before the May date was officially confirmed thanks to it seemingly surfacing in an advertisement in Forza Horizon 5. The PS5 release date for Forza Horizon 6 is yet to be confirmed, but it's expected to drop "later in 2026".

Forza Horizon 6 platforms

Forza Horizon 6 is set to come to Xbox Series X and PC when it arrives in May, with a release on PS5 to follow "post-launch" later on this year.

That's right, Forza Horizon 6 is set to be a timed Xbox exclusive on console, which means that PS5 players will also be able to rev their engines down the line and hit the roads of Japan. We don't yet know how long after launch we can expect to see the PS5 version speed into the picture, but hopefully we'll learn more soon.

Forza Horizon 6 trailer

The very first Forza Horizon 6 trailer (which you can watch above) that dropped during Tokyo Game Show 2025 is a teaser in every sense of the word. Showing off the various locations we've seen throughout the series over the years, we see license plates for the likes of Colorado, which set the scene for the first Forza Horizon, right on through to Mexico in Forza Horizon 5. Then, the trailer ends with a shot over Mount Fuji to reveal the new setting of Japan, before the title appears for Forza Horizon 6.

While the first trailer served as an annoucement and location teaser more than anything else, we finally saw more of Forza Horizon 6 (with some actual cars this time around) in a teaser from the 2026 Xbox Developer Direct, which you can watch for yourself below.

Forza Horizon 6 Japan setting

Forza Horizon 6's Japan setting is set to let us drive around various landmarks and key points of interest, including Tokyo city. In an interview with GamesRadar+, art director Don Arceta and cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita revealed more about the work the team at Playground Games has done to capture not just the scenery of Japan, but its spirit and culture. Yamashita, who has lived in Japan and driven around it many times, worked closely with the team to, in the words of Arceta, be "authentic and respectful" in their approach to bringing to life Japan for Forza Horizon 6.

"We never set out to make a location one-to-one," Arceta says. "It's always capturing the spirit of the location, and trying to do that in an authentic way and obviously a respectful way. We use a lot of real life data as much as we can to build our world; so a lot of satellite data for the terrain, we take a lot of 3D scans of objects actually on location, a lot of reference photography. We capture skies. So, you know, there's a lot there that we take".

Not unlike the way Forza Horizon 5 strived to immerse us in the culture of Mexico, Forza Horizon 6 looks set to do much the same for Japan.

"Japan's a breathtaking location, but I think they'll be surprised just how much more of the culture we've tried to integrate into Horizon 6 outside of just the location," Arceta continues. "So obviously there's car culture, but there's different festivals and other cultural aspects that we actually wanted to inject a lot more into this game. I think we kind of dipped our toe in that a bit with Horizon 5. But working closely with Kyoko, I think people will be surprised; they'll probably learn a bit more about this location than they might expect."

Forza Horizon 6 map

Thanks to our interview with the studio, we also know that Forza Horizon 6 promises to bring us the biggest map yet with its version of Japan. Describing the setting as a place that's "full of contrasts", Arceta also teased that the team has set out to create "new driving experiences that capture the location", with everything from "tight city streets", to "mountain roads and nice open plains".

Playground also revealed in an Xbox Wire post following the Xbox Developer Direct that the map will be separated into distinct districts, from suburbs dotted around the outskirts of Tokyo, to the docklands. We'll also get to cruise by iconic landmarks like the Shibuya Crossing, Ginko Avenue, and Tokyo Tower.

The map is also said to not only be big, "but also dense", with so many things to see and do "around every corner". With the fullest map yet, it sounds like we can expect to have plenty of activities and races to get stuck into.

We also know that Tokyo city is going to be one of the key locations, which Arceta tells us is "complex and layered", and that it's the most ambitious city the team has created in the Forza Horizon 6 series so far. Arceta also points out the elevated roads it will feature, which were actually created by leveraging the technology used to make the Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels expansion that featured looping orange tracks. Tokyo sounds especially fun to drive around it, with Arceta adding that it will offer "something new and fresh".

Forza Horizon 6 gameplay

As detailed in the Xbox Wire post, Forza Horizon 6's gameplay will see you get involved in the Horizon Festival as a tourist rather than a professional driver. This certainly sets it apart from the campaigns in the likes of Forza Horizon 4 and 5, which saw you building up a career behind the wheel.

Playground Games is taking this approach to drive discovery as you explore the new setting: "Somehow, it felt right in this game to just put you on the ground – like you just got off the plane, you've got a couple of friends that share your dream and know the surroundings," design director Torben Ellert tells Xbox Wire. "It's a notional projection of yourself in the game, and the thrill of arriving in a new place full of opportunities"

As Ellert goes on to explain, Forza Horizon 6 will also feature its own twist on the wristband progression systems we've seen in games past - where you would rise through the ranks. To connect to its exploration forward direction, we'll have what's known as a Collection Journal, which is inspired by Japan's stamp collecting history. In it, you'll be able to build up a collection of digital mementos you've discovered throughout Japan, and it'll act like a visual representation of your journey through the campaign.

Forza Horizon 6 will also introduce Car Meets, which are designed to reflect the car culture of Japan. Serving a social space, there will be three locations in-game where permanent Car Meets take place, and you can go there to meet up with other real players to check out their cars, download custom paint jobs and designs, and purchase more cars for your collection.

Forza Horizon 6 cars

We've gotten to see some of the Forza Horizon 6 cars that will be in the next entry, with Playground Games revealing the official cover cars will be the 2025 GR GT Prototype and the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser.

"The 2025 GR GT Prototype is really special to us because it's our hero cover car, but it's also a car that you drive as part of what we call the Initial Experience," Ellert tells Xbox Wire. "It's the first 10 minutes of the game where you get to drive the car, almost as a prelude. You get to do some off-roading in The Alps, race the Shinkansen (bullet train), and get a taste of what's to come."

Forza Horizon 6 pre-orders

Forza Horizon 6 pre-orders are now live across Xbox and PC, with some editions and pre-order bonuses to take note of if you're raring to get behind the wheel.

There are currently three different editions available to pre-order. Alongside the Standard Edition, there's also the Deluxe Edition, which will get you the game, Welcome Pack (which includes five special cars, a Car Voucher to claim a car at the Autoshow, and three tickets to redeem for any common or rare clothing items), and Car Pass (which gives you 30 additional cars, with one new set of wheels delivered each week).

The Premium Edition, on the other hand, gets you both packs in the Deluxe Edition along with a expansion passes for two expansions coming post launch, a VIP membership, two additional car packs, and four days of Early Access.

Those who pre-order will get a Ferrari J50 in-game regardless of which edition you opt for.

Getting stuck into Playground Games' last adventure? Be sure to check out these helpful Forza Horizon 5 tips.