Key facts (Sept 25–26, 2025)
- It’s official: Forza Horizon 6 was revealed during Xbox’s Tokyo Game Show 2025 broadcast; the game is set in Japan and targets a 2026 release. [1]
- Platforms: FH6 launches first on Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2026, with a PS5 version coming post‑launch. [2]
- Game Pass day one: Included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch; Cloud Gaming support mentioned. [3]
- “Biggest map yet”: Art director Don Arceta says Japan is FH’s “biggest map yet” and also the “most full.” [4]
- Tokyo is the largest city the series has built to date; expect layered urban complexity plus rural/mountain roads (yes, Mount Fuji features in the teaser). [5]
- Seasons return and are designed to affect not just visuals but how the world feels and sounds, says cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita. [6]
- Early leak: Official Instagram ads went live hours early on Sept 25, effectively leaking the Japan setting and 2026 window ahead of the stream. [7]
- What’s still unknown: Pricing, pre‑order timing, and the cover car will be shared later; wishlist on Xbox/Steam now. [8]
The announcement: what Xbox and Playground confirmed
Xbox lifted the wraps on FH6 at Tokyo Game Show 2025 with a short cinematic that nods to prior Horizon locales before panning up to Mount Fuji, confirming Japan as the next Horizon festival site and 2026 as the release window. [9]
On timing and platforms, Microsoft’s official FAQ is explicit: Xbox Series X|S and PC first in 2026; PS5 post‑launch. It also reiterates Game Pass day one, with Cloud Gaming access. [10]
“For a long time, Japan has been top of Horizon fans’ wish lists,” says art director Don Arceta, calling the country’s cars, music, and fashion a perfect fit for Horizon. [11]
To avoid postcard clichés, Playground embedded cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita in development from the outset:
“We’ve treated authenticity as a practice, not a checkbox,” Yamashita says—down to ambient audio like station chimes and summer wind bells. [12]
World design: bigger and denser
In interviews around the reveal, Arceta confirms FH6’s open world is the franchise’s largest to date and also the “most full,” with constant points of interest. He singles out Tokyo City as Horizon’s largest urban area so far—“layered and complex.” [13]
Kotaku and PC Gamer echo those details, summarizing that FH6’s Japanese map tops FH5’s and that the teaser builds to Mount Fuji after a license‑plate montage referencing past games. [14]
Xbox adds that expertise from FH5’s Hot Wheels DLC informed FH6’s elevated roadways in Tokyo—one example of tech carry‑over. [15]
Systems: seasons that change how Japan feels
Seasons return, but with intent. In FH6, spring through winter will shift tone, activity, and sound, not just looks—reflecting the cultural weight seasonal transitions carry in Japan. [16]
“Japan’s car culture depth is astonishing… from kei cars and drifting roots to customization,” Yamashita notes, teasing how culture will inform design. [17]
Platforms & Microsoft’s new multiplatform reality
PS5 post‑launch support is notable but no longer surprising: Forza Horizon 5 itself landed on PS5 on April 29, 2025—a pivot that broadened the series’ audience and laid groundwork for FH6’s similar rollout. [18]
Games media also frame FH6 within Microsoft’s 2025 strategy of bringing more first‑party titles to rival platforms. Windows Central calls FH6 “finally [giving] fans what they want,” and lists PS5 as a planned platform after Xbox/PC. [19]
The leak that spoiled the surprise (a bit)
Hours before the TGS stream, official Instagram ads—apparently scheduled early—spilled the Japan setting and 2026window. Multiple outlets captured the posts before deletion, including The Times of India and Kotaku. [20]
How FH6 stacks up right now vs. rival racers
Gran Turismo 7 (PS5/PS4)
- Live‑ops cadence remains strong; the Sept 20, 2025 update added five new cars and new events. That’s consistent, simulation‑first support rather than a new open world. [21]
- Takeaway: GT7 is entrenched as the sim benchmark on PlayStation; FH6 competes more as an open‑world car‑culture sandbox.
The Crew Motorfest (Ubisoft)
- Oʻahu’s festival expanded with free Maui map (Season 5) adding ~470 km of roads, plus “Made in Japan 2” content. Year 2/Season 7 (July 2025) continued updates. [22]
- Takeaway: Motorfest’s multi‑island Hawaii has grown meaningfully, but FH6’s Japan—with the series’ largest, densest map and Tokyo—aims to reclaim the “massive, living world” crown. [23]
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown (Nacon/KT Racing)
- Focused on Hong Kong Island, launched in 2024 to mixed or average reviews and has fought for sustained player momentum. [24]
- Takeaway: A purist, lifestyle‑driven open world that hasn’t broken out broadly; FH6’s budget, polish and Game Pass exposure position it to dominate the genre conversation.
EA Sports WRC (Codemasters/EA)
- 2025 reports indicated no immediate sequel and a pause in future rally projects—leaving space in the broader racing calendar FH6 could exploit. [25]
Context inside Forza
- 2025 coverage spotlighted heavy layoffs at Turn 10 and an uncertain Forza Motorsport future, with reporting that Turn 10 would support Playground on FH6. Microsoft hasn’t detailed long‑term Motorsport plans, but FH6’s momentum is clear. [26]
Expert voices: what they’re saying
- Don Arceta (Art Director, Playground Games): Japan is FH’s “biggest map yet” and “most full,” with Tokyo as its biggest city so far. [27]
- Kyoko Yamashita (Cultural Consultant): “Authenticity as a practice, not a checkbox,” with design decisions that avoid stereotypes while honoring lived‑in Japan. [28]
- Zachary Boddy (Windows Central): FH6 “finally gives fans what they want… could be the best open‑world racing game of all time.” [29]
(Note: Minor quotes are kept brief; see cited articles for full context.)
What comes next
- More details “early 2026”—expect gameplay and deeper systems breakdowns then. [30]
- Wishlist now; pre‑orders and pricing to follow later. [31]
- Monitoring: How Playground balances touge‑style mountain passes with dense urban racing, and how FH6 evolves Horizon’s live model to keep veterans engaged.
Bottom line
Across Sept 25–26 the picture snapped into focus: Forza Horizon 6 is Japan‑bound in 2026, bigger and denser than any Horizon to date, day‑one in Game Pass, and PS5 shortly after. With GT7 holding the sim lane, Motorfest expanding Hawaii, and TDU still finding its footing, FH6 is positioned to be the mainstream open‑world car‑culture event of 2026—if Playground sticks the landing it’s promising.
Additional authoritative references used in this report: Xbox Wire Q&A with Playground & Kyoko Yamashita; Forza.net reveal post and official FH6 FAQ; GamesRadar interview; PC Gamer and Kotaku summaries; GameSpot roundup and context; Ubisoft/Traxion for Motorfest; Polyphony Digital for GT7 updates. [32]
Disclosure: Some outlets reported the Instagram ad leak ahead of the showcase; Microsoft’s official channels subsequently confirmed all key details.
References
1. news.xbox.com, 2. support.forzamotorsport.net, 3. support.forzamotorsport.net, 4. www.gamesradar.com, 5. news.xbox.com, 6. news.xbox.com, 7. timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 8. support.forzamotorsport.net, 9. www.pcgamer.com, 10. support.forzamotorsport.net, 11. news.xbox.com, 12. news.xbox.com, 13. www.gamesradar.com, 14. kotaku.com, 15. news.xbox.com, 16. news.xbox.com, 17. news.xbox.com, 18. store.playstation.com, 19. www.windowscentral.com, 20. timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 21. www.gran-turismo.com, 22. traxion.gg, 23. www.gamesradar.com, 24. en.wikipedia.org, 25. traxion.gg, 26. www.windowscentral.com, 27. www.gamesradar.com, 28. news.xbox.com, 29. www.windowscentral.com, 30. news.xbox.com, 31. support.forzamotorsport.net, 32. news.xbox.com
