Former Forza Horizon 5 creative director Mike Brown teased the reveal of his new game just a few days ago. Now, Maverick Games has officially pulled back the curtain, giving us our first look at the project, along with some early details, including its name: Clutch.

Having sunk my teeth into Forza Horizon 6 since launch, I'm actually starting to warm up to the idea of trying other racing games again. It's a genre I've largely stepped away from over the years, with my last real venture outside of Forza dating back to the Xbox 360 era.

For those unaware, Maverick Games is made up of former Playground Games employees, alongside developers who previously worked on the Need for Speed franchise, making it what some might call a match made in heaven for racing fans (via GTPlanet).

The game is being developed in Unreal Engine 5, which may give some people the heebie-jeebies, and honestly, that's understandable. That said, based on what we've seen so far, Clutch is shaping up rather nicely, with impressive visuals and a strong first showing.

Honestly, having watched the reveal, the game is shaping up nicely. After more than three and a half years in development, Clutch follows the story of "a pair of sibling racing prodigies competing in the R1K racing series."

The studio also unveiled the Midnight Collective within the game, which it describes as: "Away from the pomp and the pageantry and commercialism of the R1K is the Midnight Collective... A group of car enthusiasts who don't care about the money and the fame of the R1K... They care about the love of driving and the raw thrill of speed."

What I believe will be the standout feature of the game, however, is the sheer level of customization on offer. I genuinely don't think any other racing game comes close to the number of options shown so far.

From the usual visual upgrades you'd expect on the outside of your car to surprisingly detailed interior customization, Clutch seems to let players make their vehicle feel unique. We're talking cups, hoodies, dashboard clutter, and other personal touches that go far beyond the customization options found in most racing games today.

With all that said, let me know your thoughts on Clutch. It can obviously exist alongside Forza Horizon, but I think it's great to see the genre potentially gain another serious contender and some healthy competition.

Let me know what you think in the comments below, and be sure to take part in our poll.

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Fresh data from Alinea Analytics paints a very positive picture for the acclaimed Forza Horizon 6, with the game reportedly selling 6.4 million copies so far. Perhaps more surprising, however, is how those sales are split between Xbox and Steam.

Given the popularity of Xbox Game Pass, many would likely expect PC sales to outpace Xbox by a significant margin. Instead, the data suggests the split is much closer than some may have anticipated.

The report also provides estimates for how many players have accessed the game through Game Pass, helping paint a broader picture of just how successful the latest entry in the series has been. So, let's dive into the numbers and see what they tell us.

That sales split is somewhat surprising, as I'm constantly told that people on Xbox don't buy games, though perhaps I need to spend less time on X. Interestingly, Alinea Analytics also estimates that, alongside those 6.4 million sales, more than 6 million people have accessed the game through Xbox Game Pass. Combined, that puts Forza Horizon 6 within touching distance of half a billion dollars in revenue.

As Alinea Analytics points out, all of this has been achieved before the PS5 version has even launched. Given the success of Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation, there's every reason to believe the upcoming release could provide another significant boost to the game's already impressive numbers.

I've spent a lot more time with Forza Horizon 6 over the past few days, and after finally getting my hands on the Halo Warthog, I've been having a great time driving around the map. It's honestly no surprise to see the game performing this well, given just how much there is to do.

Right now, I'm mostly focused on exploring the world and tracking down as many collectibles as possible, which has kept me busy for far longer than I expected. There's something oddly satisfying about ticking everything off the map.

But what about you? What do you make of the game's reported sales figures? Are you impressed by how well it's done so far, or were you expecting even bigger numbers? Let me know in the comments, and as always, be sure to take part in our poll!

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New data shared by Christopher Dring of The Game Business has shed fresh light on how Forza Horizon 6 may have helped boost Xbox Series X|S sales in the UK. It also highlights a significant 50% drop in PS5 sales during May, though that decline may well reflect the recent hardware price increase.

What's particularly interesting is just how close the two platforms ended up. According to Dring, Xbox came within just 400 units of PS5 sales in the UK during the month, with Forza Horizon 6 seemingly helping drive interest in Microsoft's consoles.

Here's what Dring had to say on X: “In the UK, PS5 sales fell 50% in May. It only outsold Xbox Series S/X by 400 units (which saw a 12% rise, helped by console exclusive Forza Horizon 6). Switch 2 was easily No.1 (NielsenIQ).”

It feels like you can't go long without exclusivity being brought up when it comes to Xbox, especially with recent talks on competitors' logos being shown within Xbox’s June Showcase. While I believe exclusives are one of the few ways Xbox can remain competitive in the hardware space long term, I also admit it's unlikely the company will ever fully return to exclusives as we once knew them.

Still, it's nice to see Forza Horizon 6 perform well enough to give Xbox hardware sales a boost here in the UK. Growing up, Xbox was everywhere. These days, you're lucky to see it mentioned at all, which is a real shame.

That said, I think Xbox's bigger issue is Microsoft itself, plus its marketing. The company often struggles to put its products in front of consumers in the same way Nintendo and PlayStation do, whether that's through advertising, retail presence, or simply staying part of the wider gaming conversation, and I hate that as an Xbox fan.

With all that said, let me know your thoughts on Xbox's improved hardware sales in the UK and PlayStation's sizable dip in May. Do you think exclusives still sell consoles, or are other factors at play? Leave a comment below and be sure to take part in our poll!

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Forza Horizon 6 has launched to the masses, and everyone seems to be in love. As with every Forza entry, a slew of PR stuns, Drift Zones, Drag Strips, and more have proliferated the landscape, begging to be three-stared.

You’re here because you won’t settle for anything less than the best. So, first of all, congratulations on choosing the right article, because I’m here to get you all those stars, and maybe even some top scores.

Forza Horizon 6 Drag Racing — Best settings

Let’s start off with the easiest first: drag racing.

There’s nothing fancy about it. You won’t need to turn, brake, or even really steer all that much. Hit the pedal, shift, and go.

For you automatic users, you might have laughed at the shift comment, but I’m here to let you know that you’re going to have to learn some basics for shifting if you want to get the best possible scores with your vehicle.

Match everything you see in the above photo, or as listed below:

• Shifting – *Manual (Or Manual W/ Clutch)
• ABS - Off
• Traction Control - Off
• Launch Control - *On

I put an asterisk next to the Manual W/Clutch because this is where your mileage may vary in terms of shifting preferences. For all newer vehicles, cars with drivetrain swaps, or any of the vehicles I’ll have listed, Manual W/Clutch is no longer any faster than Manual without Clutch.

For older vehicles and titles prior to Forza Horizon 5, Manual W/Clutch was a necessity for shaving seconds from a lap or tenths from a drag time. Shift changes were faster as a result, but on newer drivetrains, especially with the latest systems in-game, there’s no longer any real discernible difference between them.

With that said, clutch on a standard controller is an abysmal experience, and I recommend staying away from it entirely unless you have some paddles on the back or a dedicated racing wheel. If you’re chasing a top spot, though, it could make a difference of precious milliseconds.

As for settings like Traction Control, vehicles cut power when detecting traction loss. You can see where this will hurt a drag car that has any wheel spin, as you won’t get the full power of the engine under the hood.

I also put an asterisk next to Launch Control because purists will tell you to disable it for the best score, but I've always found it wildly unusable without Launch Control, especially if you're playing on a controller.

Launch control gives you the best RPMs at the start of a race without having to baby the throttle.

Forza Horizon 6 Drag Racing — Best Vehicles

First, I want to give a nod to the easiest car to get ahold of, one you won’t have to hunt for or win in a Wheel Spin. That’s the Honda Beat '91. Found in the Autoshow, this thing is a beast when upgraded.

The Beat was the first drag car I used on Forza Horizon 6, and one that carried me to some top spots before players started getting their hands on the Mazda Miata FE 94’ and Nissan GTR FE. You will be able to beat every Speed Trap, Drag Event, as well as a lot of Speed Zones, Danger Signs, and Trailblazers.

Then there are two vehicles that go toe-to-toe depending on the strip, but I’ll start with my personal favorite, the Miata MX-5 FE '94. Not only does this car rock as a drag strip build, but it also doubles as a fantastic Speed Trap and Speed Zone vehicle.

Given the tight corners of the Japanese maps, open throttling isn’t always the answer when it comes to going after some top scores on Traps and Zones. But as for Drag, it all comes down to the distance.

No matter which track you’re on, though, the Miata will dominate with three stars when paired with your own tune or one from the tuner market.

Last, but not least, is the cream of the crop, the GTR FE. An absolute Drag Strip monster, and Speed Trap if you can line it up right, this car has the best Drag Tune for distance in the game.

Equipped with a Wheelie Bar and a parachute (non-functional), the GTR is made for drag racing and not much else.

I do want to mention a runner-up, which topples the GTR FE in some instances, but I've yet to see it take the top spot. The Toyota AE86 FE, which you get by earning 5,000 points in the Discover Japan Master Explorer journal. If you've earned this car, chances are you aren't even reading this guide!

Forza Horizon 6 Drag Racing — Best Tune and Setup

As for a tune, you can obviously take one straight from the tune finder, or, better yet, make one yourself! After doing my own setups, I came across the best Forza cheatsheet I’ve seen for tuning from katalonian on Reddit, which I'll be referencing below.

First things first, upgrades:

• Engine Swap — The bigger the better
• Drive train — Swap to AWD (when you can) unless you’re a purist. AWD is just flat-out better for times.
• Clutch — I prefer the 7-speed race clutch, with maximum upgrades on everything else.
• Suspension — Pick whichever you like more
• Sway Bars — Add both front and back
• Differential — Any will do.
• Tires — Drag tire compound is an absolute must. Pick the widest back and the skinniest front (in most cases).
• Weight Reduction — Go all out and remove everything you can. This includes Aero, rim weight, reduction kits, and anything else that’s light. Choose the lighter option on everything unless it’s crucial to a drag vehicle.

Next, the best tune!

• Gearing — Leave this for last, as it's more of a "feel" thing, but for default, you can slide this all the way to "speed".
• Camber — Front: 0 to -0.5 Rear: 0 to +0.5
• Toe — 0 for both values
• Caster — Max for both values
• Anti-Roll — Stiff for both values
• Springs — Soft for both values
• Ride Height — Max for both values
• Dampening — Front: Soft Rear: Stiff
• Aerodynamics — N/A
• Aerodynamic, Brakes, and Differential — Leave untouched.
• Differential Acceleration: 85%
• Differential Deceleration: N/A

For the Gear setup, you'll need a drag strip! The rest will depend entirely on the length of the strip you're on.

First gear is the most important, the launch gear. You want a balance between speed and grip. Too much power will lead to a lack of grip, and too little will lead to a slow car.

You want the RPMs topping out rather quickly without any tire spin. Spin means lengthening first gear to a point it stops spinning, where you'll maintain maximum power without losing speed.

Depending on the gear you want to end on, your race should be finishing at the top of the RPM for that gear. As the Reddit tune guide lists, they prefer third, but everyone's different.

So long as you're crossing the line at the top of the gear at maximum speed, you've hit your tune.

Good luck!

There are a lot of truly amazing cars hiding among the Forza Horizon 6 Barn Finds, with some classic Japanese rides that you can't get your hands on anywhere else among the rewards.

They're not all Japanese cars, but the best ones are, and I think you're going to absolutely love tearing up the streets in each of them!

For more, be sure to check out our full Forza Horizon 6 review.

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Forza Horizon 6 is still on a roll. This time, we've got sales data from Japan showing that the game is the first Xbox title in three years to chart physically in the region. The last Xbox game to achieve that was its predecessor, Forza Horizon 5, back in 2023, and before that, it was Final Fantasy XV in 2016.

It's quite a testament to see anything Xbox-related perform well in Japan. It's no secret that Xbox has struggled to gain any meaningful ground in the region, so I suppose it's somewhat poetic that one of its biggest successes there is a game themed entirely around Japan.

It also makes me curious whether the BowieKnife99 meme that seemingly every brand under the sun has participated in has made its way into the Japanese community, and what players over there think about it. I imagine their reaction isn't all that different from what we feel towards the rogue car.

The data, obtained thanks to Famitsu, shows that Forza Horizon 6 sits at number 26 in the top 30 physical games chart. That's quite impressive given how small Xbox's install base is in the region, with the platform often only selling a few hundred consoles per week, and that's assuming Xbox gets lucky.

Having played the game myself, I suppose it's no wonder that it managed to chart. Forza Horizon 6 is a fantastic racing game, and its Japan setting is stunning, with some genuinely breathtaking scenery. Despite how bad I am at racing games, I'm still having a great time with it. But that's just me.

It's always a shame how much Xbox struggles in Japan. It's not through a lack of trying; they just can't ever seem to crack the market, but at least they somewhat have here with Forza.

Anyway, what do you think about Forza Horizon 6 charting in Japan? Do you care? Are you surprised, or did you expect it? Let me know in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll!

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Forza Horizon 6 has been out for around 10 days now, and in that time, players have certainly been busy. Although, I imagine most players are trying their best to avoid bowie Knife99, who has been plaguing games while also spawning memes from seemingly every brand account on the internet.

Well now, the team over at Forza has revealed some player stats on X (formerly Twitter), and they are certainly impressive. With over 29 million hours listened to on the top radio station, Bass Arena, alongside more than 141 million hours played in-game, Forza Horizon 6 is off to an impressive start, at least by the numbers.

Perhaps the biggest stat here, though, is the more than 35 trillion credits earned by players, alongside over 20 billion miles driven. That’s more than the collective people of Wales drive on average each year, and that’s in just 10 days

Instead of going over every single stat, I’ll instead break it down in a list to make things as straight forward as possible, so here it goes:

• 29,277,728 hours listened to the top radio station, Bass Arena
• 141 million hours played
• 35+ trillion credits earned
• 6,955,288 garages built
• 184 million photos taken
• 63,483,678 liveries created
• 19 million deliveries completed
• Over 20 billion miles driven
• 18,403,897 wristbands obtained
• 379,097,880 mascots smashed

It’s fair to say Forza Horizon 6 is doing fantastic so far. Peaking at over 300,000 concurrent players on Steam and reaching more than 6 million players overall, it’s shaping up to be a pretty incredible launch for Playground Games.

I just hope Playground Games can maintain that momentum over the coming months, because I’ve been having a great time with the game myself whenever I get the chance to jump in.

Let me know your thoughts on all of these stats, whether you’ve contributed much to them or not at all or maybe you don’t even care about these numbers like I do; regardless, let me know in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll.

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Microsoft and Xbox have a handful of different first-party titles coming out of their Xbox Game Studios publishing label in 2026, ranging from Halo Studios' Halo: Campaign Evolved remake to The Coalition's Gears of War: E-Day that's set to get its own Direct presentation during the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase.

One developer that's slated to have a particularly big year, though, is Playground Games — the team behind the newly released and critically acclaimed arcade racer Forza Horizon 6, and also the studio working on the humorous and deeply reactive Fable reboot that's scheduled to come to Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox Game Pass, and PS5 later this fall.

Forza Horizon 6 has been a colossal success for Xbox and Playground Games thus far, with the title getting rave reviews from critics and fans alike, achieving its biggest ever Early Access launch, and hitting massive milestones just days after release. Its developers have also committed to supporting it over time with seasonal Festival Playlist updates, the first of which is now live.

With the spotlight shining brightly on Forza and Playground planning regular content additions for the game, many have understandably had some concerns that we might see Fable get delayed past its previously confirmed Fall 2026 launch window, potentially even to 2027. According to a new post from the studio, though, the RPG is still on track for its release this year.

"After the incredible launch of Forza Horizon 6 this week, the excitement across the studio is sky-high," began the developers in a LinkedIn post about job openings. "But we’re not done yet. With Fable coming later this year, we’re continuing to recruit across multiple disciplines to bring more exceptional talent into the team."

While there was never any definitive reason to believe we wouldn't end up getting the Fable reboot this year, it's reassuring to see Playground Games reaffirm its release window all the same. Notably, we still don't have a specific release date yet, but I'm sure one will come on June 7 during the Xbox Games Showcase.

We last saw Fable in January during Xbox Developer Direct 2026, with Playground providing fans with a lengthy 11-minute long deep dive into the RPG's immersive and reactive gameplay systems, along with a look at some of its low-key slice-of-life roleplaying opportunities and its unashamedly British humor that's deeply woven into the experience.

Pretty much everyone here at Team Windows Central, myself included, thought what Fable's developers had to show was great, and believe Xbox games have a bright future if they're all as high-quality as Fable seems to be. Of course, we won't know if the fantasy adventure is actually good until it's in our hands, but I certainly have high hopes.

The creator of the franchise, Peter Molyneux, evidently does as well; he said he was "tearing up" as he watched the RPG's gameplay reveal and overview, and felt it was "really smart" to opt for a reboot instead of a sequel to the series that was put on hiatus long ago. "F*** me. This thing that we created, it's going to live, it’s going to carry on," he said.

Are you looking forward to playing Fable later this year? Let me know in the comments, and in our poll as well.

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Microsoft and Xbox's new open-world arcade racer from Playground Games, Forza Horizon 6, was widely expected to be one of 2026's biggest and most successful games in the leadup to its May 19 launch — and since then, it's more than lived up to those expectations.

Indeed, Forza is putting pedal to the metal right now, with the game enjoying a huge Early Access launch last week that led into an even larger full release that saw over 270,000 players hit the road on Steam alone. To say that its performance thus far is impressive would be an understatement — and as it turns out, it's not slowing down, either.

If anything, Forza Horizon 6 has shifted into a new gear, with the game achieving a new peak concurrent player count of 284,139 on Steam on Thursday morning (as SteamDB data shows). Given that it's putting up those numbers on a weekday morning, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if it accelerates up to and past 300,000 this weekend.

At the same time, Playground Games also announced on social media that Forza Horizon 6 has hit over 6 million players in just one week after its May 15 Early Access release, and a mere two days after its full launch. That number encompasses players on all platforms and services, including Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Game Pass, and Steam.

"Forza Horizon 6? More like Forza Horizon 6-Million!" wrote the developers in a celebratory post. "Thank you all for joining us at Horizon Japan."

It's been awesome to see the game take over the internet and everyone enjoying driving around Japan these past few days, even if I'm not really surprised by the success given how popular its predecessor, Forza Horizon 5, was. I haven't gotten the chance to play it myself yet, but I look forward to doing so soon.

It's worth noting that, according to Xbox's new CEO Asha Sharma, Forza Horizon 6 had the biggest Early Access launch in the franchise's history, which is also not surprising considering it was nearly hitting 200,000 concurrent players on Steam during those first few days.

The open-world racer is also the highest rated game of 2026 so far, beating other acclaimed hits like Resident Evil Requiem, Mixtape, and Pokémon Pokopia with an extremely high Metacritic score of 91/100. It's gotten rave reviews across the board, with my Windows Central colleague Michael Hoglund awarding it a 4.5/5 star score himself in our review.

"From the neon pulse of Tokyo to mist-shrouded mountside grounds, Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t rewrite history, but layers perfection on top of perfection to make the latest entry the most polished experience to date," he wrote.

Forza Horizon 6 is available for its $69.99 MSRP on Xbox and PC, but you can actually get it for just $53.99 at Loaded thanks to an awesome deal. The pricier Deluxe and Premium Editions are on sale for $84.29 at Loaded and $89.99 at Loaded, respectively; you can also play with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, if you have an active subscription.

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Forza Horizon 6 is the biggest and most ambitious game in the series, and while it will continue to evolve over the coming years, there's still so much to do from launch.

Alongside collecting all 15 Barn Finds, Forza Horizon 6 also has 9 Treasure Cars. They're similar in idea, in so much as they're hidden and you have to go find them, but executed differently from the Barn Finds.

There's also less surprise because you're told what the car is and given a visual clue where to find it as soon as you've revealed enough of its region. But I've already found them all, so I can help you on your way.

• 1991 Nissan Figaro
• 2005 Ford GT
• 1985 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE
• 1987 Porsche 959
• 1969 Dodge Charger R/T
• 1985 Nissan Safari Turbo
• 1981 BMW M1
• 1995 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR
• 1974 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale

What are Treasure Cars in Forza Horizon 6?

Treasure Cars in Forza Horizon 6 are nine hidden vehicles scattered across the different regions of the map that players can discover using postcard clues.

They're all great cars to add to your collection (and get the achievement for finding them all), but they're not quite as exotic as the Barn Finds.

There are no progression-based requirements to unlock the Treasure Cars. Instead as you reveal enough of each region you'll be prompted that a Treasure Car is available, with its clue visible in your Cars menu.

All 9 Treasure Car map locations in Forza Horizon 6

Here are all 9 of the Treasure Cars, their region, and a handy map location so you can go and pick them up.

1991 Nissan Figaro location - Tokyo City

You'll find the Nissan Figaro parked at the side of the road about halfway between the two large bridges connecting the industrial area with the main part of Tokyo City.

2005 Ford GT location - Nangan Region

Head to the rightmost point on the coastline in the lower portion of the Nangan Region. Look for the small dirt track that leads off from the main (red) route and follow it around to the right to find the Ford GT.

1985 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE location - Ohtani Region

Head to the location highlighted on the map above, and specifically, you're looking for the large masts. The Mazda RX-7 is parked next to one with a silver base.

1987 Porsche 959 location - Shimanoyama Region

This is one of the trickiest ones to find. Head to the village at the top of the region (where you also have a Barn Find location) and drive to the eastern side. The road at the back of the village (the asphalt, not dirt) is where you'll find a 365 Store. The Porsche 959 is parked behind it.

1969 Dodge Charger R/T location - Minamino Region

One of the easiest Treasure Cars to find, the 1969 Dodge Charger is just off the main road at the eastern edge of the golf course.

1985 Nissan Safari Turbo location - Ito Region

The Wind Farm point of interest is where you need to be, located in the wooded area of the eastern coastal region of Ito. Simply follow the main dirt track and the Nissan Safari is parked at the base of one of the windmills.

1981 BMW M1 location - Hokubu Region

North of the tunnels in the Hokubu Region you'll find a large railway bridge (that obviously you're not supposed to drive over). Underneath the bridge adjacent to the fields is your BMW M1.

1995 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III location - Takashiro Region

As you head up the marked dirt roads at the side of a small river, you'll see a waterfall up ahead. The Evo Treasure Car is parked at the side of the track at the very end just before the waterfall.

1974 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale location - Sotoyama Region

Just off the main road, aside a snow track and before you reach the Speed Zone, you'll find the Lancia Stratos parked outside a chalet, waiting for you.

Unlike Barn Finds which require you to be patient while waiting for their restoration (or to spend a lot of credits to fast-track the process), Treasure Cars are yours immediately. All they need is a wash, which happens in the cut scene, and you can get straight on the road in your new wheels.

If you're trying to level up quicker, don't forget to spend a skill point on each of the Treasure Cars, too. You'll get an immediate 10,000 XP on each of the nine cars for spending a single skill point, which is the highest of any type of car in this regard.

For more, be sure to check out our full Forza Horizon 6 review.

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Forza Horizon 6 is here, and it has a number of new bits compared to Forza Horizon 5. One of these concerns fast travel, that is, moving about the map without driving.

It's been made far less tedious in the superb Forza Horizon 6 with the complete removal of fast travel boards. In Forza Horizon 5, you had to buy a house to unlock it and then smash all of the boards to make it free.

The good news is that none of this applies in Forza Horizon 6. It's free from the off, and you don't need to buy a house, but it does have one important limitation you need to be aware of.

How to use Fast Travel in Forza Horizon 6

Without fast travel boards in Forza Horizon 6 the system does not require a credits purchase to use at any point. Simply move the cursor and click.

However, while it's unlocked from the off, you can't use it to just go anywhere. To be able to use fast travel, you first need to have removed the fog of war over where you want to go and have driven down the road you're targeting.

To see where you can use fast travel on the map, you simply need to look for any roads that are shown in white or red, not grey. The latter are roads you haven't driven down, and until you have, you can't use fast travel to go there. So you still have to explore the map the old-fashioned way at least once.

Once you've revealed a road and it's showing white or red on the map, simply hover the cursor over where you want to go and press the X button on your controller.

I love this change. Exploring a new Forza Horizon map for the first time is part of the fun, but once you've spent all that time driving down every road, most of the time you just want to go to where you need to be to do a thing.

The fast travel boards and needing to smash them or use credits just added a layer of tedium to Forza Horizon that felt like an unnecessary way to slow down the pace of play.

This new system works much better. You're still rewarded for first exploring the map and not penalized in any way.

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Let's face it, nobody will be playing Forza Horizon 6 for a killer storyline or some incredible voice acting. The campaign is simply a way to unlock all of the things you need to do, but you can't avoid the NPCs chattering away in your ear.

Or can you? Fortunately, you can.

Having played all the way through to Legend Island in Forza Horizon 6, I can say with confidence that you don't miss anything by not listening to the in-game dialogue. But you can also make it so you don't need to hear it at all, while still leaving subtitles on so you can still see what's being said. Here's how

How to turn off audio dialogue in Forza Horizon 6

To make it so you don't have to listen to the in-game characters (which includes your own), simply follow these steps.

1. Pause the game.
2. Open Settings.
3. Select the Audio tab.
4. Scroll down until you find the Dialogue volume slider.
5. Set the slider all the way down to zero.

Subtitles are probably on by default, and it's worth keeping them on because occasionally there will be some nuggets of information that are helpful.

Barn Find restoration completion will be accompanied by a proper on-screen notification, so even without subtitles you'll never miss when these are ready to add to your collection.

If you do need to enable subtitles, here's how to do it.

1. Pause the game.
2. Open Settings.
3. Choose the Accessibility tab.
4. Turn Subtitles to on.

Now you're able to keep the subtitles on while ensuring you don't have to listen to any of the audio dialogue. There are also settings to customize just how you want the subtitles to look, including an option to highlight key words.

The audio settings in Forza Horizon 6 actually give you a significant level of control over how you want the game to sound. I recommend playing with all of the options available to you in the audio settings menu to find that "sweet spot" for your own enjoyment.

And a pro tip if you're going to be streaming or creating any form of video content: go right to the bottom of the audio settings and enable "Streamer Mode" so you don't get hit by copyright strikes.

For more be sure to check out our full Forza Horizon 6 review.

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Forza Horizon 6 continues the series' trend of having special Barn Find cars dotted about the map for you to hunt down and add to your collection. This is on top of the nine hidden Treasure Cars you can also find.

As in previous games, when you unlock the chance to go and get them, you get a vague area provided on Forza Horizon 6's Japan map to explore and locate the barn. Or, you can buy the Treasure Map with real money that exposes them for you.

But nobody wants to do that! This year's Barn Finds aren't necessarily the trickiest to locate, but if you want a helping hand, I've already found them all so you don't have to! Here's how you unlock them and where to find each of them.

Forza Horizon 6 Barn Finds at a glance

How to unlock Barn Finds in Forza Horizon 6

The Barn Finds are tied to your progression through the Discover Japan collection journal in Forza Horizon 6, as opposed to the wristbands, which progress you towards Legend Island.

As you progress through the stamps, you unlock the chance to get more Barn Finds. At each new tier, you'll be shown new zones on the map you're able to go to. To get them all, you need to reach the gold stamp and become a Master Explorer.

You earn these through completing exploration challenges, which also includes Street Races and Touge Battles. Smashing Regional Mascots also applies progress, as do many other challenges. You can see on the map which applies to your exploration rank, as well as through the Discover Japan collection journal.

Below you'll find all the locations for the Barn Finds separated by region. If you want to find them yourself a little easier without using these maps, I recommend going into Drone Mode and flying around the circle. When you locate a barn with the drone, it'll highlight it on your map so you can then drive right to it.

Complete list of all Barn Find locations in Forza Horizon 6

Here are all of the locations for the Barn Finds by region. Simply match each location to the corresponding purple circle on your map, and I'll show you exactly where to go.

Nangan Region Barn Find location

Shimanoyama Region Barn Find locations

Hokubu Region Barn Find location

Takashiro Region Barn Find locations

Ito Region Barn Find locations

Minamino Region Barn Find locations

Ohtani Region Barn Find locations

There are a lot of truly amazing cars hiding among the Forza Horizon 6 Barn Finds, with some classic Japanese rides that you can't get your hands on anywhere else among the rewards.

They're not all Japanese cars, but the best ones are, and I think you're going to absolutely love tearing up the streets in each of them!

For more, be sure to check out our full Forza Horizon 6 review.

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Forza Horizon 6 is finally here, and with it, we're now able to access Legend Island, the only part of the map that was locked in my earlier preview play. It's also locked at the start of the main game, only becoming accessible when you become a "Forza Horizon Legend."

Mild spoilers follow on the process to unlock Legend Island, so if you want to find out yourself, click away now.

With that out of the way, the first thing I'd say is don't build it up too much. While Forza Horizon 6 is absolutely sublime, I think I built up the final part a bit too much and ended up a little disappointed. Here's how you get to Legend Island and what you actually get when you arrive.

What is Legend Island in Forza Horizon 6?

Legend Island is the only part of the Forza Horizon 6 Japan map that is locked behind progression. While activities across the rest of the map only appear when you reach a certain level in your progression, the actual map itself is completely open to explore.

Legend Island is blocked off until you become a Horizon Legend and earn your place there.

Once you do, your arrival to the island feels very similar to your initial arrival at the Horizon Festival at the start of the game. There's the only secondary Horizon Festival outpost on the whole map located here. You also unlock some new races and PR stunts.

The main unlocks are the biggest races, those you'll be familiar with if you've played previous games. The Goliath starts on Legends Island, while the class-specific big races all start elsewhere on the main map.

You also need Legend Island access in order to smash all the XP bonus boards, as some of those are located here as well.

But that's about all there is to it. It essentially opens the final set of content from the base game to play that is not subject to the seasonal Festival Playlist when that begins.

How to unlock Legend Island in Forza Horizon 6

Now that we know what it is, how do we get to Legend Island in Forza Horizon 6? Simply progress through the game!

Specifically, Legend Island is linked to the wristband progression, not the Explore Japan progression. Anything you do that has a yellow 'H' icon on it with a number contributes to progress through your wristbands.

Once you achieve the requirements to complete the gold wristband event, then complete said event, you earn "Horizon Legend" status.

I do have a few tips to speed up your Forza Horizon 6 progress a little, too.

• Smash XP bonus boards as you come across them. It's easy to leave them until later, but each board contributes a small piece of wristband progress, which helps speed things up in the earlier tiers.
• Don't sleep on activities like the Drag Meet and Time Attack circuits. Simply completing each of these activities in every class of car will give you several hundred points on your wristbands, and they don't take long to do.
• Likewise make sure you do as many PR stunts as you can when you come across them. Don't get fixated on getting three stars every time; you get wristband progress for one and two stars. If you don't have the right car to max it out yet, still do something, as it all helps your progress.
• If you're struggling to win races for the maximum rewards, turn down the difficulty. There's no shame in it if you just want to progress as fast as possible, and you're only racing against Drivatars anyway!

So, there we have it. Perhaps a little underwhelming given that it was locked off for so long, and even when it comes to the scenery — it's probably the least interesting part of the otherwise incredible map.

But that's how you get there and what to expect when you do. The real endgame is what comes next, be that the Festival Playlist activities or the Evolving World. But initially, Legend Island is where you go to unlock the last of the base game content.

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Back in 2005, Forza Motorsport screeched onto Xbox with one goal: to be the king of driving sims. It was all tight corners, white-knuckle precision, and the kind of seriousness that made you sweat over every gear shift. Fast forward to 2012, and suddenly Forza Horizon bursts onto the scene, tossing the rulebook out the window and blazing its own wild trail.

Horizon ditched the stuffy closed circuits for sprawling vistas, sun-soaked roads, and the kind of festival beats that make your speakers beg for mercy. It absolutely nailed the open-world vibe.

I still get flashbacks to Test Drive Unlimited. I miss my Bugatti Veyron.

Over the next fourteen years, the Horizon series evolved from Colorado hillside racing to a globe-trotting celebration of car culture, each entry layering on seasons, stories, and social cues while never forgetting the pure, grin-inducing joy of flooring it through an ever-changing landscape.

Now, with Forza Horizon 6, Playground Games has taken its wheels to Japan and delivered what feels like the franchise’s most confident, culturally immersive chapter yet.

From the neon pulse of Tokyo to mist-shrouded mountside grounds, Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t rewrite history, but layers perfection on top of perfection to make the latest entry the most polished experience to date.

Forza Horizon 6: The landscape of Japan

A lifetime ago, or at least it feels that way, I took a trip to Tokyo and fell head over heels for the place. I talk about it so much that anytime Japan comes up, my wife hits me with her classic, "Oh, you’ve been to Japan? News to me!" sarcasm. She’s heard it all before, but I can’t help myself.

I’m not about to start swinging a katana around or anything, but I like to think I know a thing or two about Japan. So when I fired up the new Horizon, I was hit with that same jaw-dropping awe I felt the first time I wandered Tokyo’s streets.

From the blinding lights of downtown to the peaceful hush of the countryside, Horizon 6 bottles up Japan’s spirit and pours it into every fence post and skyscraper. The game’s DNA is now part neon, part street racer, and all heart.

Forget just hunting down XP boards; now you’re on the lookout for adorable mascots scattered everywhere. Every region’s got its own little critter begging to be flattened by your V8, and the squeaks they make when you do? Chef’s kiss.

Street races are now their own beast, totally separate from the main Horizon grind. These unsponsored, underground events feel like you’ve stumbled into Tokyo’s secret racing underbelly, and I’m here for it. However, I was caught off guard by two things. They’re not huge, but still something worth mentioning.

When I visited Tokyo, one of the things that struck me was the size of it. From the Tokyo Skytree, a 2080-foot-tall building, no matter where I looked, I failed to find the limit of the never-ending cityscape. Forza Horizon 6 fails to capture that scale, but for a game that’s looking to capture the essence of the entire country, I forgive them for not capturing that massive city nature.

One of the areas I thought we’d visit for sure was Mt Fuji, how could we not? I was surprised to find out we don’t get to visit the great mountain in the background of every older Godzilla movie.

But fret not, for I have a very sneaky suspicion that’ll end up being one of the DLC packs we’ll get for the game in the future. My last, and very real complaint, is the fact that there were no 7-Eleven gas stations. If you've been to Tokyo, you know this is a Japanese cultural staple!

Forza Horizon 6: Racing never felt better

Let’s face it, if you’re playing Forza Horizon, you’re not looking for the greatest simulation game on the planet. What you’re looking for is something to poke around in and have a blast doing. Forza Motorsport, iRacing, Assetto Corsa, and other like-minded titles are there for those who want something in a more realistic form.

For those of us who long for something between that and Need For Speed, Forza Horizon is what we play. And boy am I here to tell you does Forza Horizon 6 ever play, and it plays hard.

That fun feel is back and better than ever with what feels like a near-never-ending list of vehicles to choose from. Clocking in at over 600 vehicles at release, nearly 100 more than Forza Horizon 5 launched with, I’m still digging away at unlocking or paying for the best and coolest looking vehicles available in the game.

Progression no longer feels like you’re just going from race to race. Instead of throwing the entire kitchen sink at you, Forza Horizon 6 locks much of the higher-end vehicle races to later stages.

As you progress through Horizon Events, the races that unlock will go from your D and C vehicle levels to B, A, and eventually S and the new ranking, R. Rather than picking your favorite McLaren from the start, players will be building toward those levels throughout the game's campaign, which gives that authentic career-building feel I felt was missing from the latest iteration.

The tone of a circuit race changes if you’re just picking some high-end track star every single time. Forcing players to stay within a specific class isn’t a step back, but an attempt to teach players that progression is meant to be meaningful and rewarding.

Not only are all event types back, but so are many more that players will be picking at for hours with friends. While I know most reviewers and creators haven’t been spending a ton of time in the event builder, some of the early ones I’ve seen are showcasing just how promising the feature from Forza Horizon 5 can be. What’s more, it can be done in multiplayer now.

In a session that feels more like a private match of Halo Forge, up to 12 players can co-create Lab Events in Forza Horizon now. Friends can now create together to make something amazing, awful, or hilarious to drive through.

Without tunes to choose from, I was forced to learn how to tune vehicles. From drag racing to grip machines, I learned the ins and outs (or at least, at a surface level) of what it means to make your vehicle the best it can be.

If you peek at the gallery below, you’ll see I spent way too much time battling other reviewers and creators. Sure, my scores will get demolished once the game goes public, but seeing familiar names below mine? That’s a flex I’ll cherish while it lasts. Don't worry, I'll share my tunes and vehicles in some upcoming guides!

In the spirit of competition, Forza Horizon 6 is also adding drag-racing events to multiplayer. In the past, players always lined up to race against one another and played on an honor system. Now, there’s a full-blown method of playing together with a scoreboard, disqualification for starting early, and everything else players need in a drag-racing event.

You can even moonlight as a food delivery driver. Yep, one of the side gigs has you zipping around, picking up takeout, and dropping it off to hungry NPCs. It’s not huge, but there are nine promotion ranks, and some even unlock new delivery rides. Who knew Forza would scratch my DoorDash itch?

Not everything’s a slam dunk, though. My biggest gripe? Some of the main Horizon Events. Sure, there are a few wild, super-Japanese races, but a couple of them just didn’t have that wow factor I was hoping for.

Too often, I was stuck racing against the same types of planes or on tracks that felt like déjà vu. Some set pieces were pure joy. One had me grinning like an idiot, but others? Not so much.

Another thing that might be seen as a positive, and forgive me if this was in a previous entry, but you can now rewind during skill events. I didn’t even realize this until I accidentally hit Y while shifting gears up a drift section, only to rewind back to a previous spot, where I retained the score I had at that moment.

So yeah, you can fix your mistakes mid-drift without restarting. Some folks will love it, but for leaderboard junkies like me, it feels a little cheap when you’re chasing bragging rights with your friends.

Forza Horizon 6: Building is now a thing

Got a lot of extra cash that you haven’t spent on a hundred cars? Time to pimp out your garage, or better yet, your own personal Estate. You get your own Playground to build whatever your heart dreams up. Stunt tracks? Go wild. Anime murals? Why not. Ultimate drift zone? Absolutely.

While some of the builds I came across have been rather lacking, as you can only do so much during a review before you have to move on and test the next feature, what I’ve seen so far has shown that the building tools are going to make Forza Horizon 6 extra special.

One build I stumbled into was a neon playground with giant ramps, bowling pins, and a volleyball the size of a bus. I can already see these features getting pushed to the edge of insanity, and I can’t wait to see what the community cooks up after launch.

Your Estate means your garage gets a makeover, too. I found a Halo Forerunner garage that looked incredible, until I loaded in and every prop did a super jump in the ceiling. Rest in peace, Master Chief.

Hopefully, things like this get sorted out over time, because I want more Forge in my Xbox games wherever I can get it. That, and the actual building tools feel a little fussy, especially in the garage. Unless I missed it, I couldn't snap walls in place to other walls — which, if it is there, means the scheme isn't very intuitive. If they aren't, how is it not there?

Forza Horizon 6: Stunning to feel, watch, and listen to

I know there’s this ongoing joke with the internet that graphics haven’t gotten any better with time. The worst example of this is people who keep posting gameplay videos of Battlefield 3, as if it holds a candle to Battlefield 6. Spoilers: It doesn’t.

I even recently saw a video on social media where players were comparing all the entries in the Forza Horizon series, including 6 to one another.

What especially caught me off guard was people saying none of them looked any better than Forza Horizon 3. I got a hell of a kick from that. Either those people have never touched a Forza Horizon game, or nostalgia’s got them in a chokehold.

The difference is night and day when looking at the surrounding areas. Not only that, but with every title, more of the environments have become destructive. In the newest game, I found myself plowing through entire forests without hitting any trees that couldn’t be toppled.

On Xbox Series X or PC, this is hands-down one of the best-looking racers I’ve ever played. Vibrant colors, real-time ray tracing, crowds that are steps above Madden fans (just don’t look too close in photo mode), the works.

The truth that graphics in general have started to flatline a bit is true. Diminishing returns is a thing as you get closer to photo realism, which is why we’re seeing companies like Nvidia push their latest lighting techniques. Forza Horizon 6 is not an exception to this rule, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been a nice array of improvements.

In years past, I always felt like performance was a major trade-off in terms of visuals. This time, I couldn’t tell whether I enjoyed playing on my Xbox Series X with a Vizio OLED or my RTX 5080 build on my 4K ASUS OLED gaming monitor. Sure, there were differences, but nothing substantial in the heat of the moment when all chaos is breaking loose while racing against.

On Extreme RT settings, I was reaching 90 FPS with Nvidia DLSS set to Quality at 4K resolution. On Xbox, I didn’t test the framerate with any "standard" methodology, but I didn’t notice any frame rate dips while playing in Performance mode. The entire experience, whether Xbox or PC, felt incredibly smooth.

Forza Horizon 6: Should you buy it?

If you’ve ever enjoyed a Forza Horizon, you already know the answer: yes, this is an easy buy.

Forza Horizon 6 is the series at its most confident, most refined, and most fun. Everything that made the earlier games iconic is back, but with a slicker sheen and events that pop.

Is it more of the same? Absolutely, but when "the same" is already this good, there’s zero shame in doubling down. Forza Horizon’s magic is alive and well, and the new additions just keep the party going without losing that signature vibe.

CoLabs and The Estate are unexpected standouts, adding a ton of replay value and giving even long-time fans something new to chase. This isn’t just content for content’s sake. It all fits and feels right at home in the world Playground Games has built.

I love that with the throwback progression, you don’t just jump right into the fastest cars. Working your way up makes every win feel earned, and every new race a real step forward. Not every Horizon Event will knock your socks off, although the thrill is still there.

So here’s the deal: if you love racing and want an open-world experience that’s equal parts heart and horsepower, Forza Horizon 6 is a no-brainer. It’s the top dog for a reason, and this chapter just cements it.

Forza Horizon 6 launches on Xbox Series X|S and PC on May 19 (or May 15 for Premium Edition buyers), and in the case of the latter, one big question keeps cropping up.

Does Forza Horizon 6 have Denuvo DRM?

The good news is that Forza Horizon 6 does not utilize Denuvo DRM. Which is good news.

As the game is listed on Steam, if it were using Denuvo, it would be listed as such on the store page.

Take Star Wars: Galactic Racer as an example. It's not releasing until October, but already we know it'll be utilizing Denuvo, which in itself is enough to put many prospective buyers off.

I reached out to Xbox for confirmation, and they have responded with a categorial no, Forza Horizon 6 does not use Denuvo. That's not to say there is no DRM; after all, if you play it on Game Pass through the Xbox app, it's pretty well locked down.

Why is Denuvo DRM so controversial?

There are examples in the past of poor implementations of Denuvo affecting a game's performance, which certainly made sure its reputation would be blighted for all eternity.

It doesn't always happen, but it has happened, and that's enough to make it a concern.

There are other issues, too, such as any problems with the Denuvo service just blocking you from playing a game that you spent your hard-earned money on.

Denuvo also requires online connectivity in order to authenticate, which can cause issues if you want to play offline.

In any case, Denuvo has done enough in its time to smear its own name, and gamers rarely forget these things. In the case of Forza Horizon 6, at least, it looks like we don't have to worry.

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Original article:

Have you ever made a mistake? Did that mistake cost you potentially millions of dollars? I'm guessing no, but that's what happened this week with Xbox's Playground Games.

Playground Games' upcoming Forza Horizon 6 is doubtless set to be one of, if not the biggest launch of Xbox's 2026, perhaps rivaled only by Call of Duty later this year (if it's good, that is). The arcade-style racer is set in Japan, one of the most-requested locations ever, and promises a boat load (car load?) of new features and systems. Sadly, though, the launch has suffered an inadvertent accident of potentially biblical proportions.

Spotted by users on social media and in our own XB2 Discord, Forza Horizon 6 files appear to have leaked via Steam without encryption. Users were able to grab the files, and a PC crack followed. As of writing, it seems the encryption on Steam has been re-enabled, but that's not before the game's files in their entirety began spreading across piracy sites. I was able to find at least one user literally streaming the game live on Twitch before genuine purchasers can even download the game.

This is not the first time major games have leaked early this way. @Videotech above noted that Death Stranding 2 also fell short of a similar error, with pirated versions of the game available in full before launch. Early reports suggested Microsoft itself may have made the error, and uploaded an unencrypted build, but others chimed in and suggested that a reviewer or content creator may have facilitated the build leaking, using early access decryption codes.

Forza Horizon 6 is a heavily online-skewing game, and even if you're banned from Xbox's servers for running the cracked version, you'll still be able to play the game offline, according to those who have grabbed it. Microsoft is reportedly banning pirates from Forza Horizon for literally thousands of years.

Links to the Forza Horizon 6 files immediately began circulating on piracy forums, including on Reddit. Reddit's legal team has been removing links to the files per requests from Microsoft, but as they say, the internet never really forgets.

It's unclear exactly how the build leaked at this time, but either way, it's not ideal for Microsoft. It's a pretty epic screw-up likely to put a dent in Forza Horizon 6's profitability at a time when Xbox needs revenue more than ever.

Microsoft's recent financials showed how Xbox has been struggling, with hardware sales and game purchases showing declines. Xbox has been rocked by a variety of industry-wide issues, including impacts from massive price increases in memory, the Trump administration's tariff regime harming U.S. businesses, and generational behavioural changes. Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha are not becoming traditional core gamers, and that's a huge problem for the traditional console platforms.

Forza Horizon has long been one of the few big bright spots on Xbox's balance sheet, racking up huge player counts and conversions every time it launches. Today's piracy snafu is not going to stop the Forza train (car?) from achieving massive successes, but it's a needless and potentially costly mistake at a time when Xbox can't really afford it.

Forza Horizon 6 launches in full on May 19, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, Steam, and Xbox PC, with a PlayStation version slated for later in the year.

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Microsoft and Xbox have several high-profile first-party releases coming in 2026, ranging from Halo: Campaign Evolved and Gears of War: E-Day to the long-awaited Fable reboot. A title that has the potential to be the most successful out of all of them, though, is Forza Horizon 6 — the next big open-world racer from Playground Games that's now just days away.

Set in the diverse and beautiful lands of Japan with more refined driving mechanics, customization options, gameplay activities, and multiplayer features than any entry before it, I've gotta say: the game looks to be a terrific sequel to Forza Horizon 5, and a must-play for racing game fans. It's slated to release on May 19 — a week and a half from the time of writing — across Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam, Xbox on PC), and Xbox Game Pass, complete with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Exactly one week ahead of the game's scheduled Early Access release date of May 15 exclusive to those who purchase the Premium Edition, Xbox and Playground Games have shared Forza Horizon 6's official launch trailer that you can watch here or below. Though short, it gives fans closer looks at several of the cars they'll be able to drive in action, as well as at the title's in-game environments and unique Japanese flair.

Notably, it also contains a clear nod to the late rally racer Ken Block who sadly passed away in 2023, famous for his gymkhana stunt racing videos. At 0:48, a driver carefully drifts close to the edge of a seaside road, just as Block did in his Gymkhana Nine video posted in 2016. Block collaborated with Forza several times since Forza Horizon 3, making the tribute all the more touching.

It's not the only reference in the trailer, however. Another comes right after at 0:58, when a Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 and a Mazda RX-7 FD3S are neck and neck; these are the primary cars driven by the characters Takumi Fujiwara and Keisuke Takahashi in one of the first big races in the popular racing manga Initial D.

All in all, the trailer is just a good time from start to finish, with the short-and-sweet video showing off the vibrant natural landscapes and neon-soaked cities of Forza Horizon 6's rendition of Japan, along with plenty of different cars, stunts, and tense racing moments. I'm a huge fan of the vibe.

Given how popular Forza Horizon 5 was, I have no doubt that its successor will become a massive hit as well, and will likely end up being one of 2026's biggest and most popular games. It also wouldn't surprise me if it sold extremely well on PS5 when it comes to that system later this year (as confirmed by Forza itself), as Forza Horizon 5 sold incredibly well on Sony's console.

Ahead of its release date, you can preorder Forza Horizon 6 for $69.99, though you can get the Xbox and Xbox on PC version for just $54.39 at Loaded. The $119.99 Premium Edition that includes the Car Pass, Car Packs, future DLC, and four days of Early Access is also selling for only $92.99 at Loaded. Of course, the game is also coming to Xbox Game Pass.

Do you plan on jumping into Forza Horizon 6 when it launches in the coming days? What did you think of the launch trailer? Let me know in the comments, and vote in our poll.

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Forza Horizon 6 has officially gone gold in its run-up to the big May 19 launch, and Playground Games has come in hot with some pretty killer rewards to show their gratitude to players.

If you've played any of the previous Forza Horizon games, right back to the original, or the rebooted Forza Motorsport from 2023, you'll be starting Forza Horizon 6 with some much better wheels in your garage.

Here's what you can get:

These aren't just some throwaway cars; each of these is something you'd want to race and will definitely add some prestige to your starting garage.

So, how do you get them? Assuming you've played any of the games in the table above with the Gamertag associated with Forza Horizon 6, they'll be awarded once you've completed the introduction race with Mei.

"The Forza community spans decades of games, and to show our appreciation to those who have been with us all the way, we have created a set of Loyalty Rewards for players of our previous games. Check out the list of games and cars below – if your Xbox Gamertag has played the game listed, you will receive its associated car in Forza Horizon 6 once you complete the Tokyo City introductory race with Mei."

I played the Forza Horizon 6 preview build, and while the starting cars are perfectly fine, they're not on the same level as this little gaggle of goodies.

The Forza Horizon 6 car list is promised to be at 550 cars for launch, and these are but six of them. But they're also six prestige cars you won't have to spend your in-game credits on. Who doesn't love free stuff?

It's a nice touch, too, from Playground Games, to recognize the devotion that many have to the franchise. I've played every one to date, as well as Forza Motorsport, so I'll be getting the full allowance. How many are you getting?

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I'll cut right to the chase; yes, Forza Horizon 6 will be continuing the Festival Playlist post-launch content template.

It's one of the things that, until now, we hadn't been given any real information on. Indeed, when I previewed Forza Horizon 6, there was no sign of this content in the early build.

Thanks to a developer Discord Q&A reported on by IGN, we now have some concrete information on the Festival Playlist, when it begins, and perhaps of interest to PS5 players waiting in the wings, what will happen to cars they're not able to get, given the later launch window on that platform.

When does the Forza Horizon 6 Festival Playlist begin?

The Festival Playlist will be available in Forza Horizon 6 at launch. That is, May 19, 2026, for Standard Edition players and May 15, 2026, if you have early access through the Premium Edition.

Specifically, according to the developer Q&A, the Festival Playlist will be unlocked once you progress far enough through the game to qualify for the Horizon Festival.

From my experience playing the early preview build, I can tell you that this process will only take about an hour. While the preview build ended at the point you reach the Horizon Festival qualifier race, it was easily less than an hour's gameplay to get to that point.

So it'll be available long before you've completed the single-player story.

The big change for the Forza Horizon 6 Festival Playlist.

One of the issues with the Festival Playlist is that it quite often rewards cars that aren't available to buy from the Autoshow. Once the week rolls over to a new Festival Playlist they're gone.

In Forza Horizon 5 the Backstage Pass eventually helped players get their hands on these, but I'll openly admit I'm not a fan of it. You have to earn them from the Festival Playlist or buy them from the Forzathon shop, which requires building up points from other activities. It was only recently, too, that all cars were finally made available, but you still can't get them en-masse.

This FOMO affects players, and in particular, we can look to PS5 players of Forza Horizon 6 who won't even be able to play until later this year. Fortunately, we're promised that there will be a solution to get those missed cars.

From the same Q&A it has been confirmed that Festival Playlist cars will be made available after the fact. How, exactly, we still don't know, but it has been mentioned that cycling them into the Aftermarket Cars rotation is a possibility.

I saw these firsthand in the Forza Horizon 6 preview, and I wouldn't be against it at all. Aftermarket Cars spawn in rotation at set points on the map, are available to purchase with regular in-game credits, and usually come pre-tuned at a discounted price.

Until launch it's unlikely we'll know exactly which method Playground Games is employing, but the fact the developers are already in front of the issue at least gives us more confidence that players won't miss out, whenever it is they start playing.

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Forza Horizon 6 arrives on Xbox and PC on May 19, 2026, but ahead of that players have questions about whether or not their custom creations can be carried forward.

Whether those are vinyls, decals, liveries, EventLab creations, or custom tuning setups, we do have an answer directly from Forza Support. It's not all good news, but there is some. If you have custom creations in Forza Horizon 5 that you're hoping to carry into Forza Horizon 6, here's the state of play.

Forza Horizon 6 transfer guide: What car content carries over

Can you transfer custom creations from Forza Horizon 5 to Forza Horizon 6?

Quick Answer: Yes, you can transfer vinyls and decals to Forza Horizon 6, but liveries, tuning setups, and EventLab creations will not carry over.

What you can transfer from Forza Horizon 5 into Forza Horizon 6 are vinyls and decals. Exactly how this will be done is as yet unknown, with Forza Support simply confirming that instructions will come at a later date.

It's also discussed as "previous Forza games," so we could be looking at more than just Forza Horizon 5 creations transferring over. When the process is detailed, this article will be updated to reflect it.

So what about everything else?

EventLab creations cannot be transferred because Forza Horizon 6 uses a different map to Forza Horizon 5. Easy enough.

Custom tuning setups cannot be transferred, even if the same car is present in Forza Horizon 6. This is due to the developers wanting to "rebalance all car classes."

Finally, custom liveries also cannot be transferred to Forza Horizon 6, again, even if the same car is present in the new game. This is down to a number of technical changes on the cars, including the new feature in Forza Horizon 6 where custom liveries can be applied (finally) to the windows.

However, the folks over on the ForzaLiveryHub subreddit have suggested the genius workaround of chopping liveries up into vinyl groups to avoid having to completely start from scratch. Save one for each section of the car, import it into Forza Horizon 6 (when the feature is live), and fit it to the relevant car in the new game.

So there we have it. Not the news that some would have been hoping for, but all told, pretty good reasons as to why we'll have to start many creations from scratch.

Forza Horizon 6 launches on Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on May 19, 2026.

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The numbers are in, and Microsoft's experimental and... controversial (to say the least) 'Project Latitude' — the initiative to bring first-party Xbox titles to rival platforms — seems to have found its clear success story.

According to a recent update on the website of co-developer Virtuo, the open-world racing game Forza Horizon 5 has surpassed a whopping 5 million copies sold on PlayStation 5.

This milestone, first spotted by industry trackers like HazzadorGamin represents quite an impressive achievement for a title that spent four years as a flagship Xbox exclusive. Since its PS5 debut in April 2025, the game has reportedly generated over $300 million in revenue. Proving that there is an appetite for Xbox games on Sony's hardware.

A mixed bag of success for Xbox

Virtuos say in their success story piece that "Forza Horizon 5 was one of the best-selling titles on PlayStation 5 in 2025, surpassing 5 million copies sold on the platform and earning widespread acclaim with a 92 Metacritic score."

While the Forza numbers are encouraging, the performance of Xbox's wider catalog on PlayStation is still under the microscope, and not all of it has been good news. Forza Horizon 5 leads the pack at 5 million sales, followed closely by Sea of Thieves, which has maintained a strong presence with roughly 1.8 million copies sold on PS5 at last count.

On the other hand, Starfield has had a middling start on the platform, with recent reports estimating just 140,000 copies sold in its first week on PS5. Analysts suggest the delay between the original launch and the port may have quelled the appetite for it, but also, it's clear from the pattern here that multiplayer and/or live service games are the play and make sense to go to as many platforms as possible.

Gears of War: Reloaded and Indiana Jones seem to sit somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. The former hit 1 million players, and Indiana Jones sold much faster on PS5 than on Xbox (but has Xbox Game Pass to thank for that).

Exclusive or everywhere?

Xbox under Asha Sharma's reign has been making a number of positive changes recently; the price drop to Xbox Game Pass, the return of Xbox Fanfest and the shot through the heart to the unpopular 'This is an Xbox' marketing.'

With this new era comes renewed interest in the conversation around exclusives, as fans have been interpreting some of Sharma's recent quotes to indicate a return to this for first-party titles: "The plan is the plan until it's not the plan."

The community has been divided on whether the move to multi-platform will erode the value of Xbox hardware, but the financial reality, at least in the case of Forza Horizon 5, is hard to ignore.

The success of Forza suggests that at least for the right title, the PlayStation audience is willing to pay and Microsoft won't want to leave that money on the table. Even if it means continuing to weather the storm of a frustrated fan base who want to see some reciprocation from PlayStation (Helldivers 2 alone isn't going to cut it!)

Forza Horizon 6 arrives on Xbox May 19. 2026 as confirmed in the January Xbox Developer Direct, but PlayStation fans will have to wait a little longer for a port later in the year. Will they show up in their millions again?

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Microsoft and Xbox have several high-profile games releasing in 2026, ranging from shooters such as Halo: Campaign Evolved and Gears of War: E-Day to the long-awaited fantasy RPG reboot Fable. The title that could be the most successful of them all, though, is Forza Horizon 6 — Playground Games' next big open-world arcade racer that's coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Forza Horizon 5 ended up being a huge hit on Xbox and PC, and became a best-seller on PS5 when it came to the platform last spring as well. Set in Japan with cutting-edge visuals and plenty of new features, the sixth installment could be an even bigger success when it releases next month on May 19 — and ahead of its launch, Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty has lauded what he's seen of the title on the Official Xbox Podcast.

"We've got Forza, yeah, which is just looking amazing. I had a moment, we got to see a cut of the trailer, some stuff that will come out later, but it just took me back to — there's a time when I grew up making games myself, [and] racing games really were a pretty dominant genre in the industry," he began. "There were new racing games that would come out, and you'd be so excited, and just what the team has done and the combination of the music that they've brought in and the location and the setting, I had that same sense of excitement of going to play other racing games for the first time ... They've done such a good job with that series."

"The reality is, we're in a hit driven business, right? Games, like movies, like music, a lot of things, [are] very hit driven, so for Playground working in conjunction with [Turn 10 Studios] to have delivered that series [as well as it has], and now with FH6, it's not just a next — or like a sideways — move," Booty continued. "It really feels like a whole new, fresh game. I don't know, I'm very excited. The stuff that we're seeing is really well put together. It's pretty cool."

Host Tina Amini then went on to spotlight some positive quotes from previews in which outlets and creators praised Forza Horizon 6's visuals, the feel of its gameplay, and its various simulation systems working under the hood to deliver a satisfying experience; my colleague and Windows Central managing editor Richard Devine was able to go hands-on with it himself, and called it "a spectacle the likes of which we've never seen."

"Yeah, and along those lines, we always think about any Forza game as a technical showcase, right? Cars are so great to show that off with the reflections and the materials, the paint and the metal and the rubber and glass and everything," said Booty, reflecting on all the positive feedback.

"It's really cool, but one of the bigger innovations that we're going to see in Forza Horizon 6 is also just the jump in and play social aspects, right? Which is such a part of gaming today," he added. "The team has really, really put in the time and the hours and the features to make it a game that not only looks great, but is going to really, I think, lend itself to a lot of social play and a lot of easy jump-in play."

Indeed, Playground Games detailed several of these social features and enhancements earlier this year during the Xbox Developer Direct, along with many others. Booty praised these and the "amazing and sophisticated operation" that's allowed the studio to ultimately put Forza Horizon 6 together, while also appreciating its status as a "digital tourism" game.

"But yeah, there are times where you just want to drive around and look at things. ... I think that there's room for all of that," he commented. "With a game like [Forza Horizon 6], there's just so many of these deep verticals in terms of car handling and graphics and physics and terrain and the features. When you visit [Playground], it's an amazing and sophisticated operation."

Without a doubt, Forza Horizon 6 is shaping up to be one of 2026's most exciting new games, especially with everything we've heard about it thus far from critics and creators being unanimously positive. The game drops on Xbox and PC on May 19 and will be $69.99, though access is also available with Xbox Game Pass.

Are you looking forward to Forza Horizon 6, or does it not interest you very much? I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the game, so share them in the comments and vote in our poll!

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Having had a little taste of Forza Horizon 6 I'm quite literally counting the days until it launches next month. It's one of my favorite franchises of all time, but as we wait for the latest and greatest, why not take a look back at where we began?

That, of course, was the original Forza Horizon, released exclusively on the Xbox 360 in October 2012. That makes it 14 years old in this, the 25th anniversary of Xbox. I have to tell you, it still holds up today.

If you've never played it, or you can't check it out yourself today, this epic retrospective from YouTuber, Baffo. is a must-watch. Hell, it's a must-watch even if you have played it.

This is about as comprehensive a look back at the beginnings of the franchise as you'll find, splicing gameplay with background on how it came to be.

Forza Horizon was born when the then newly formed Playground Games teamed up with Turn 10 to expand the Forza franchise beyond the Motorsport titles that had been produced to that point.

Gavin Raeburn, formerly of Codemasters and responsible for some of my all-time favorite racing games, was at the helm. In a recent interview with Forbes, he recalled how Forza Horizon ultimately came to be.

"So those games that were being delivered every two years, like Forza Motorsport, were now told, right, well, you have to release every year. There’s no way the Forza Motorsport team could do that. So that was the reason they were looking for a second team. That said, at the time, they didn’t quite know what they wanted for that second project. That was down to us to decide and pitch for."

The rest, as they say, is history. For many years Forza Horizon was the tok to the Forza Motorsport tik. Yearly releases alternating between the two. That eventually came to an end, with the latter being rebooted and, for now, sidelined.

Forza Horizon 6 arrives after the longest wait between entries in the franchise to date. While the original was spun out in a couple of years, we're approaching five since Forza Horizon 5 launched. But the scale is now significantly increased.

The first game took us to Colorado in the United States, and while it looks limited in scope compared to the epic, which we're waiting on, the DNA of Forza Horizon has never changed. A sprawling open world, poster-worthy cars, wild races, and a bunch of side-quests to complete.

Despite its age, though, it's still such a fun game to play. It looks absolutely stunning, too. Seriously, it's a reminder of how impressive both sides of the Forza franchise have always been with their attention to detail.

Unfortunately, if you don't already own Forza Horizon, your only way to get a copy now is to find a used disc. It is playable with backwards compatibility on the current Xbox Series consoles, but thanks to the wonderful world of licensing, it's no longer available to purchase digitally.

Which is a shame, because there will be a lot of current players who never got to experience it. While the original has been far surpassed now in almost every way, it's important to remember its long-term impact.

Every following game built on this formula in some way, but the core experience that makes the franchise so good has prevailed over the years.

If you've got your own Forza Horizon memories to share, be they from the original or any other in the franchise, be sure to share them with me in the comments below!

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Today is a big drop of Forza Horizon 6 information, including finally seeing the whole of the map. The gigantic Japan map.

You can check out my full Forza Horizon 6 preview for more on the gameplay and what the setting looks like, but for now, let's just focus on the territory.

Xbox has released a full look at the map in its entirety, but it's small, and we can do better. You can't show off the scale in a single image.

Much focus has been placed on the scale of Tokyo City, and with good reason. Promising to be 5 times larger than the biggest built up area in Forza Horizon 5, it got fans excited.

Tokyo is indeed a massive, sprawling metropolis, but there's so much more to the map than just the city.

The gallery below shows an overview of each region in Forza Horizon 6, or rather, as much of each region as could be squeezed into a single screenshot.

I've had access to almost all of the map, with regions such as Legends Island still locked as they're linked to progression in the game not available during the preview.

The map also, for the first time in a Forza Horizon game, has a fog of war. Instead of just all being revealed from the off and having to squint to see the roads you haven't been down, regions will slowly become fully highlighted as you explore them for the first time.

The map for Forza Horizon 6 is easily the most varied and impressive to date. At one end you have Tokyo, a vast cityscape; at the other you have snowy mountain passes and a full ski resort to drive around. In between you'll find sweeping countryside, and each region has its own unique charm.

Changing weather and time of day adds another dimension to the immersion, and with more than 670 roads to drive down, there's a whole heap of exploration to be done.

Forza Horizon 6 launches on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Cloud on May 19, 2026. Early Access for Ultimate Edition buyers begins on May 15, 2026.

I've been lucky enough to play Forza Horizon 6 early, ahead of its May 19 launch. While it's a mere snapshot of what the final game will contain, I have found some new features that while small on their own, all add up to a bigger impact on the game.

Everything I've seen is still very much a work in progress, so there's still more to come, but overall, it's shaping up to be something special. Check out my full Forza Horizon 6 preview for some more complete thoughts.

But I wanted to take the time to highlight these new features I really enjoyed and how they can change how you're going to play Forza Horizon 6 compared to its predecessors.

1. Regional Mascots give you credits to spend on your cars

We're all familiar with bonus boards in Forza Horizon, with XP gains and reduced cost fast travel to be had in previous games.

I'm still waiting to hear about fast travel in Forza Horizon 6, but new for this year are the Regional Mascots.

Each different region has an adorable set of mascots dotted across the map and smashing them rewards 5,000 credits each. With 200 to crush beneath your wheels, that's a lot of cash to put towards better cars.

In the early game, in particular, this should give you an easy boost to your bank balance.

2. Aftermarket cars can be bought around the map for cheap

I don't know how many of these will be in the final game and where they'll be placed, but the preview build has shown off a selection of aftermarket cars you can by simply by finding and driving up to them.

These are all sold with pre-applied tuning setups and even aftermarket bodykits, saving you the trouble of doing the work yourself.

They're also available at a discounted rate, so you get a better ride and save some credits in the process. What's not to love?

3. Forza Horizon 6 has an auto-drive feature

I've never really used the ANNA satnav in previous Forza Horizon games, but in Forza Horizon 6 it's a little more useful.

Not only can it help you easily hit the next races you need to progress through the Horizon Festival, but it can now drive you to them.

The auto-drive feature will take over and get you safely to your designated destination, albeit significantly slower than you'd get there yourself.

But the icing on the cake is the cinematic mode. Once enabled, the UI disappears, and you're treated to a full cinematic view of your road trip. Making your own Forza Horizon 6 movie has never been easier.

Or, you know, you can leave it on and grab a coffee. Or bathroom break.

4. Drag racing is more realistic than ever

Drag racing has always been a fun, quick hit of Forza Horizon adrenaline, but the Drag Meets in Forza Horizon 6 add a little extra realism.

The game doesn't hold you on the start line; you're responsible for your own launch. Take up your preferred grid slot, and you'll have a realistic lights system counting down to the start.

If you touch the throttle early, you'll move and jump-start. So the timing is all on you.

Fortunately, it's easy enough to get the hang of by holding the e-brake and engaging launch control. But the reaction time is all down to you. A split section too late and the win could get away.

There will be far, far more to come from Forza Horizon 6 in the final release. The preview build was hard locked for progression before you even qualified for the Horizon Festival, and some parts of the map were still off limits.

Nevertheless, it's shaping up to be something quite special, and there's not too much longer to wait for it.

Forza Horizon 6 launches on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Cloud on May 19, 2026. Early Access for Ultimate Edition buyers begins on May 15, 2026.

Forza Horizon 6 is set to launch on Xbox and PC on May 19, and I've finally been able to play it. What I've seen is but a tiny snapshot of what's to come, but it's immediately clear that this is the most grandiose release to date.

Japan has been the most requested destination on the Forza Horizon world tour pretty much forever, and seeing it finally come to light, it's immediately clear as to why.

Every new Forza Horizon is bigger, better, and bolder than the last, but almost five years along from Mexico, the feeling is different. Forza Horizon 6 is going to be the most incredible spectacle, and that's just from the map alone. It's special. It's really special.

This preview was created using a pre-release build of Forza Horizon 6 provided by Microsoft. The company did not see the content before publication nor had any input into its creation. Some aspects of the preview build were not cleared for publication and, as such, do not feature in any written content, video, or imagery. The preview build is locked in quality mode at 30 FPS.

The biggest and most diverse Forza Horizon setting yet

The Forza Horizon series has been to some stunning parts of the world, but nothing like this. Japan has it all, from the mad bustle of a sprawling city to the snowy mountains and just about everything in between. Driving across the Forza Horizon 6 landscape feels like you're experiencing every season in the same drive.

At its heart is Tokyo, but that's not where the Horizon Festival site is. Tokyo sits alone as this gigantic metropolis, packed with tiny side streets, multi-lane roads, and highways, and you can really feel its size.

There were no races in Tokyo (that I'm allowed to show) in the preview build, but the mind boggles at the varied racing we're going to get here.

Outside of the city, you have mile after mile of picturesque scenery and sweeping open roads, dirt tracks, and snow-covered mountain tracks, and of course, you can drive across all of it. As ever in Forza Horizon, if you want to go as the crow flies to get from point A to point B, you can, smashing the trees out of the way as you go.

I've never been to Japan, so I have nothing to compare it to first-hand, but it really does feel authentically Japanese. In Tokyo, for example, you find the famous Shibuya Crossing, albeit without the pedestrian hazards.

Out on the open roads you'll find distinctly Japanese markings, road signs, and sakura hanging from the trees. The game's world is so striking, it's easy to get lost within it.

Cars, cars, and more cars

It wouldn't be a Forza Horizon game without a ludicrous lineup of cars, though since this is a preview, I've not seen all that many. But I have seen a new feature that I'm digging a lot that'll help players fill their garages with faster, better cars, especially in the early game.

New for Forza Horizon 6 is the ability to buy aftermarket cars from spots on the map. They'll show up with their own little icon, but all you need is enough credits to splurge on them, drive up, and buy.

During my time in the preview I bought a VW Golf R, a BMW M3, a Nissan Fairlady Z, a 1997 Honda Civic Type R, a Subaru Impreza WRX STI, a Hammerhead buggy, and a Shelby Mustang. Each with a pre-applied tuning setup, and in some cases, even aftermarket body kits. Each seems to be available at a discount, too, which you can't grumble at.

Oh and Drivatars are still, well, idiotic. I'm not sure what I hoped for, but so far at least, they seem to have exactly as much sense as Drivatars in previous Forza Horizon games. That is to say, not a lot.

Forza Horizon 6 is a familiar experience, but that's not a bad thing

While almost the entire map has been my playground (the Legends island is off-limits), the preview has only shown a brief snapshot of what the final game will contain. It's hard locked at the point you take on the qualifying race for the Horizon Festival, so as to what comes beyond that point, I cannot say.

However, in the early stages at least, it feels familiar, which isn't a bad thing. Why mess with something that isn't broken, after all? Essentially you progress by completing races and PR stunts, the same sort of ladder we've had in previous titles.

Bonus boards are back, too, though I haven't seen any Fast Travel ones. As I write this, I'm still waiting for a reply from Xbox on whether this is only for the preview build or whether or not the system is changing this year. But you can still crank up your XP gains by smashing boards, and this year we're also getting cutesy little Regional Mascots to drive over.

There is a point to it, of course, and in this case you'll be rewarded with 5,000 credits per Mascot. Another neat little touch that will certainly help in the early game when you need money for fresh wheels.

Additionally, you earn XP and credit rewards for simply exploring the map. As you find new regions and areas and then fully explore each, you'll be rewarded, and I'd assume there will be achievements linked to all of these things.

Drag racing is something else synonymous with the Forza Horizon experience, and in the latest game it looks like there's a little change. In the preview build there's a solitary "Drag Meet" but it's a little different from previous releases.

Like a real-life drag race, you have a lights system to start the race, and you're responsible for getting off the line entirely of your own accord. If you touch the throttle, you'll move and jump-start. Timing is everything, or you can hold the e-brake, make sure you have launch control on, hold the throttle, and go on green.

Forza Horizon 6 looks like being the pinnacle of the franchise

Even without playing the raft of content that will come with the full release, it's easy to see that this is the absolute pinnacle of the Forza Horizon series.

The map is absolutely enormous and is the most varied terrain we've seen in any Forza Horizon game to date. One minute you'll be racing on smooth tarmac; the next you're up in the mountains. hurling yourself around a snowy ski resort.

The scale of Tokyo City is unlike any built-up environment the series has produced to date, and its mix of wide roads and narrow side streets will provide countless opportunities for mayhem.

All-in-all, even more than a month out from release, it's clear that Xbox once again has something special on its hands. It's the longest time we've had between any two Forza Horizon games, and it looks to have paid off.

This is a spectacle and a scale we've never seen from the franchise, and this tiny sneak peek means I'll be counting down the days.

Forza Horizon 6 launches on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Cloud on May 19, 2026. Early Access for Ultimate Edition buyers begins on May 15, 2026.

Forza Horizon 6 is right around the corner. The latest entry into the series from Playground Games launches on May 19, 2026, bringing the long-requested Japanese cityscape and countryside, along with over 550 cars.

Following the recent map reveal on X, (more to come on that in our preview later today) we now have a look at some limited edition accessories. These include a new Xbox Wireless Controller and a new headset, revealed in a report from billbil-kun.

New Forza Horizon 6 controller and headset detailed

In the report from billbil-kun, it is brought up that Xbox has not released a new limited edition controller since DOOM: The Dark Ages in April 2025. This means it has been a while since the last release. For headsets, the most recent limited edition model was inspired by Starfield, which launched in June 2023.

While there has been no official look at the new accessories yet, they are expected to be themed around Forza Horizon 6. Here is a breakdown of what to expect:

• Xbox Wireless Controller themed around Forza Horizon 6, priced at $89.99, €89.99, and £84.99
• Xbox Wireless Headset themed around Forza Horizon 6, priced at $134.99, €134.99, and £124.99

Would you be excited to see new limited edition accessories from Xbox? I am personally curious to see what the new accessories look like, and I'd definitely be excited to see if we get anything for Xbox’s 25th anniversary coming up.

I'd also love to see Xbox go all in and reveal new limited edition consoles, and an even wider variety of accessories

As a longtime Halo fan, I am also interested in what it might do alongside the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved, too.

That said, Halo Studios likely has enough on its plate right now, given the latest claims of misconduct at the studio, without having to worry about accessories.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Would you pick up new accessories, or do you have little interest? Be sure to take part in our poll too!

The official Forza Horizon account has confirmed in a social media post that the latest installment of the racing game — Forza Horizon 6 — will fully support cross-save functionality across all available platforms for the first time in the series' history.

The cross-save functionality expands beyond just Xbox and Xbox on PC entitlements to fully support the feature on Steam and PlayStation, as well.

Cross-platform support, including cross-play for multiplayer and even cross-save functionality, isn't new for Microsoft-owned game studios. Microsoft and Xbox invested in cross-platform environments with its Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which allowed players to purchase a game on Xbox or Windows PC and own that game on both platforms.

Cloud saves and shared accounts further bolstered Play Anywhere, giving players the freedom to pick up where they left off in a previous gaming session, regardless of platform.

Microsoft's own Call of Duty series also fully supports cross-entitlements, including shared access to purchased cosmetics regardless of which platform the content was originally purchased on. However, it remains unclear if Playground Games will allow for DLC content to transfer between platforms the same way that Call of Duty does.

What is safe to assume is that cross-save compatibility means that your in-game progress — unlocked cars or cars purchased with in-game currency, traded cars, race progress, and player level — will carry with you regardless of where you decide to pick up and play.

Forza Horizon 6 is expected to have more than 550 cars in its roster when it launches on May 19, so if you unlock cars on Steam, you can still access them if you play the game on a PlayStation 5 or ROG Xbox Ally X the next time you launch the game.

Playground Games has previously confirmed that cross-play is also supported in Forza Horizon 6. If part of your squad is on Xbox, but you have that one lone PlayStation fan in your group, you'll still be able to play Forza Horizon 6 together — you'll just have to wait until the game launches on PS5 later this year.

Cross-platform entitles have grown in popularity. Will you play Forza Horizon 6 on different platforms? Let us know with the poll below and sound off in the comments.

Forza Horizon 6 has launched via early access for folks who order the game's Premium Upgrade or Premium Edition, and reviewers are already showering it with praise before its full public launch on May 19, 2026.

If that wasn't enough to get people hyped up for this game, Playground Games revealed that Forza Horizon 6 will receive 550 playable cars for its initial batch.

After getting hands-on with Forza Horizon 6's preview build and final launch build version, which we gave a glowing 4.5 review score to, we now have a firm grasp on what kind of cars we can expect to drive in.

Here is the full list of every car confirmed for Forza Horizon 6 thus far, which will be regularly maintained and organised alphabetically as it receives more cars through post-launch updates.

Forza Horizon 6 car list summary

The full 550 launch cars have not yet been revealed, but we do have a lot to go on right now. Here's a breakdown of some of the key information.

• Total confirmed cars: 392
• Italian Passion Car Pack cars: 4
• Time Attack Car Pack cars: 8
• Welcome Pack cars: 3
• VIP cars: 1
• Promotional DLC cars: 2
• Pre-order bonus cars: 1

As in past Forza Horizon games, Car Packs in Forza Horizon 6 will be additional premium purchases. To get everything, you will have to pay extra.

In the case of the promotional DLC cars, there are currently two that you can acquire before the game launches. One is a collaboration between Xbox and Fanta, the other is between Xbox and Trolli.

These require the purchase of promotional products, which allow you to then submit on the respective redemption sites to get your cars.

A

• 1980 Abarth Fiat 131
• 2016 Abarth 695 Biposto
• 2022 Acura NSX Type S
• 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec
• 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2
• 1990 Alfa Romeo SE 048SP (Italian Passion Car Pack)
• 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm (Italian Passion Car Pack)
• 2015 Alumicraft Class 10 Race Car
• 2021 Alumicraft #122 Class 1 Buggy
• 2022 Alumicraft #6165 Trick Truck
• 2554 AMG Transport Dynamics M12S Warthog CST
• 2013 Ariel Atom 500 V8
• 2016 Ariel Nomad
• 2019 Aston Martin Valhalla Concept Car
• 2023 Aston Martin Valkyrie
• 1986 Audi #2 Audi Sport quattro S1
• 2001 Audi RS 4 Avant
• 2003 Audi RS 6
• 2006 Audi RS 4
• 2011 Audi RS 3 Sportback
• 2011 Audi RS 5 Coupé
• 2013 Audi RS 4 Avant
• 2013 Audi RS 7 Sportback
• 2015 Audi S1
• 2021 Audi RS 6 Avant
• 2021 Audi RS 7 Sportback
• 2021 Audi RS e-tron GT
• 2016 Audi R8 V10 Plus
• 2020 Audi R8 V10 Performance
• 1993 Autozam AZ-1

B

• 2016 Bentley Bentayga
• 1988 BMW M3
• 2020 BMW M2 Competition Coupé
• 1957 BMW Isetta 300
• 1973 BMW 2002 Turbo
• 1988 BMW M5
• 1995 BMW 850 CSi
• 1995 BMW M5
• 1997 BMW M3
• 2003 BMW M5
• 2005 BMW M3
• 2008 BMW M3
• 2008 BMW Z4 M Coupé
• 2011 BMW X5 M
• 2012 BMW M5
• 2016 BMW M4 GTS
• 2019 BMW Z4 Roadster
• 2021 BMW M4 Competition Coupé
• 2022 BMW iX xDrive50
• 2023 BMW M2
• 2024 BMW X6 M Competition
• 1987 Buick Regal GNX

C

• 2016 Cadillac ATS-V
• 2016 Cadillac CTS-V Sedan
• 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing
• 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
• 2018 Can-Am Maverick X RS Turbo R
• 2019 Casey Currie Motorsports #4402 Ultra 4 'Trophy Jeep'
• 1955 Chevrolet 150 Utility Sedan
• 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air
• 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427
• 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Super Sport 454
• 1972 Chevrolet K-10 Custom
• 1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
• 1995 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1
• 2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
• 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
• 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
• 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
• 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe
• 2020 Chevrolet Silverado LT Trail Boss

D

• 1970 Datsun 510
• 2018 DeBerti Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Drift Truck
• 2019 DeBerti Ford Super Duty F-250 Lariat "Transformer"
• 2019 DeBerti Toyota Tacoma TRD "The Performance Truck"
• 1982 DeLorean DMC-12
• 1969 Dodge Charger R/T
• 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
• 1999 Dodge Viper GTS ACR
• 1999 Dodge Viper GTS ACR Forza Edition (VIP Reward)
• 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
• 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
• 2016 Dodge Viper ACR
• 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
• 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock

F

• 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB4 Spider (Italian Passion Car Pack)
• 2017 Ferrari J50S1 (Pre-Order Bonus)
• 2018 Ferrari FXX-K Evo
• 2018 Ferrari FXX-K Evo 'Welcome Pack'
• 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista
• 2025 Ferrari F80R (Italian Passion Car Pack)
• 1994 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta
• 2013 Ferrari 458 Speciale
• 2013 Ferrari LaFerrari
• 2018 Ferrari Portofino
• 1932 Ford De Luxe Five-Window Coupe
• 1968 Ford Mustang 2+2 Fastback
• 1985 Ford RS200 Evolution
• 1986 Ford F-150 XLT Lariat
• 1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500
• 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth
• 1999 Ford Racing Puma
• 2003 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning
• 2003 Ford Focus RS
• 2005 Ford GT
• 2009 Ford Focus RS
• 2010 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
• 2011 Ford Transit SuperSportVan
• 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
• 2014 Ford #11 Rockstar F-150 Trophy Truck
• 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R
• 2017 Ford #14 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing GRC Fiesta
• 2017 Ford #25 'Brocky' Ultra4 Bronco RTR
• 2017 Ford Focus RS
• 2018 Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5
• 2020 Ford #2069 Ford Performance Bronco R
• 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
• 2020 Ford Super Duty F-450 DRW PLATINUM
• 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor
• 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
• 2022 Ford Focus ST
• 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R
• 2023 Ford Fiesta ST
• 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse
• 2024 Ford Mustang GT
• 1995 Formula Drift #34 Toyota Supra MkIV
• 2020 Formula Drift #151 Toyota GR Supra
• 2023 Formula Drift #64 Forsberg Racing Nissan Z
• 1989 Formula Drift #98 BMW 325i
• 2006 Formula Drift #43 Dodge Viper SRT10
• 2007 Formula Drift #117 599 GTB Fiorano
• 2009 Formula Drift #99 Mazda RX-8
• 2018 Funco Motorsports F9

G

• 1970 GMC Jimmy
• 1991 GMC Syclone
• 2022 Gordon Murray Automotive T.50
• 2025 GR GT Prototype

H

• 1977 Holden Torana A9X
• 1970 Honda S800
• 1974 Honda Civic RS
• 1984 Honda City E II
• 1986 Honda Civic Si
• 1990 Honda #19 CRX WTAC (Time Attack Car Pack)
• 1991 Honda Beat
• 1991 Honda CR-X SiR
• 1992 Honda #21 Hardrace/JDMYard Civic WTAC (Time Attack Car Pack)
• 1992 Honda NSX-R
• 1994 Honda Acty
• 1994 Honda Prelude Si
• 1997 Honda Civic Type R
• 2001 Honda #33 Integra WTAC (Time Attack Car Pack)
• 2003 Honda S2000
• 2004 Honda #52 Evasive Motorsports S2000 WTAC (Time Attack Car Pack)
• 2004 Honda Civic Type R
• 2005 Honda NSX-R
• 2005 Honda NSX-R GT
• 2007 Honda Civic Type R
• 2015 Honda Civic Type R
• 2015 Honda Ridgeline Baja Trophy Truck
• 2018 Honda Civic Type R
• 2022 Honda e
• 2023 Honda Civic Type R
• 2014 HSV GEN-F GTS
• 2019 Hyundai Veloster N
• 2020 Hyundai i30 N
• 2021 Hyundai i20 N
• 2022 Hyundai N Vision 74
• 2023 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N

J

• 1956 Jaguar D-Type
• 1961 Jaguar E-Type
• 2016 Jeep Trailcat
• 2020 Jeep JT
• 2019 Jimco #240 Fastball Racing Spec Trophy Truck
• 2020 Jimco #179 Hammerhead Class 1

K

• 2008 Koenigsegg CCGT
• 2016 Koenigsegg Regera
• 2020 Koenigsegg Jesko
• 2018 KTM X-Bow GT4

L

• 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400
• 1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV
• 2010 Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV
• 2016 Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4
• 2019 Lamborghini Urus
• 2020 Lamborghini Essenza SCV12
• 2020 Lamborghini Huracán STO
• 2022 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato
• 2022 Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica
• 1986 Lancia Delta S4
• 1992 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo
• 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR
• 2010 Lexus LFA
• 2010 Lexus LFA Forza Edition
• 2015 Lexus RC F
• 2021 Lexus LC 500
• 1962 Lincoln Continental
• 1999 Lotus Elise Series 1 Sport 190
• 2018 Lotus Scura Motorsport Exige WTAC
• 2020 Lotus Evija
• 2023 Lotus Emira
• 2024 Lucid Air Sapphire

M

• 2022 Maserati MC20
• 1973 Mazda RX-3
• 1973 Mazda RX-3 Forza Edition
• 1990 Mazda Savanna RX-7
• 1992 Mazda RX-7 Type R
• 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata
• 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata Forza Edition
• 2005 Mazda Mazdaspeed MX-5
• 2008 Mazda Furai
• 2010 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3
• 2011 Mazda RX-8 R3
• 2013 Mazda MX-5
• 2016 Mazda MX-5
• 2017 Mazda MX-5 Cup
• 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF
• 2011 McLaren 12C Coupé
• 2015 McLaren 570S Coupé
• 2021 McLaren 765LT
• 2021 McLaren Sabre
• 2023 McLaren Artura
• 2016 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupé
• 2018 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S
• 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé
• 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series
• 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series 'Welcome Pack'
• 2021 Mercedes-AMG SL 63
• 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupé
• 1987 Mercedes-Benz AMG Hammer Coupe
• 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II
• 2012 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series
• 2013 Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG
• 2013 Mercedes-Benz G 65 AMG
• 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 65 AMG 6x6
• 2014 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U5023
• 2020 Mercedes-Benz SLC 43 Final Edition
• 1971 Meyers Manx
• 1986 MG Metro 6R4
• 1965 MINI Cooper S
• 2012 MINI John Cooper Works GP
• 2018 MINI X-raid John Cooper Works Buggy
• 2021 MINI John Cooper Works GP
• 1990 Mitsubishi #269 Attacking the Clock Racing Minicab Time Attack (Time Attack Car Pack)
• 1992 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
• 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX
• 1995 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR
• 1995 Mitsubishi Montero Exceed 2800 TD
• 1997 Mitsubishi GTO
• 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Evolution
• 2001 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI GSR TM Edition
• 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR
• 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR "Welcome Pack"
• 2005 Mitsubishi #1 Sierra Sierra Enterprises Lancer Evolution Time Attack
• 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR
• 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR

N

• 1969 Nissan Fairlady Z 432
• 1971 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R
• 1973 Nissan Skyline H/T 2000GT-R
• 1983 Nissan #11 Tomica Skyline Turbo Super Silhouette (A legendary GT return)
• 1985 Nissan Safari Turbo
• 1987 Nissan Skyline GTS-R
• 1989 Nissan PAO
• 1989 Nissan S-Cargo
• 1989 Nissan S-Cargo Forza Edition
• 1989 Nissan Silvia K's
• 1990 Nissan Pulsar GTI-R
• 1991 Nissan Figaro
• 1992 Nissan Skyline GT-R
• 1993 Nissan #32 Skyline WTAC 'Xtreme GTR' (Time Attack Car Pack)
• 1993 Nissan 240SX
• 1994 Nissan Fairlady Z Version S Twin Turbo
• 1994 Nissan Silvia K's
• 1995 Nissan Gloria Gran Turismo
• 1995 Nissan NISMO GT-R LM
• 1997 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec
• 1997 Nissan Stagea RS Four V
• 1998 Nissan Silvia K's Aero
• 1998 Nissan #23 Pennzoil NISMO Skyline GT-R (Fan-favorite GT500 car)
• 2000 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II
• 2000 Nissan #36 Silvia WTAC (Time Attack Car Pack)
• 2002 Nissan Silvia Spec-R
• 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z
• 2012 Nissan GT-R Black Edition (R35)
• 2017 Nissan GT-R (R35)
• 2019 Nissan 370Z NISMO
• 2020 Nissan GT-R NISMO (R35)
• 2024 Nissan GT-R NISMO
• 2024 Nissan Z NISMO

P

• 2009 Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster
• 2016 Pagani Huayra BC Coupe
• 2021 Pagani Huayra R
• 1962 Peel P50
• 1962 Peel P50 Trolli Edition (promotional DLC code)
• 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16
• 1991 Peugeot 205 Rallye
• 2007 Peugeot 207 Super 2000
• 1958 Plymouth Fury
• 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S
• 1971 Plymouth Cuda 426 Hemi
• 2021 Polaris RZR Pro XP Ultimate
• 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
• 1987 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA
• 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
• 1982 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3
• 1986 Porsche #185 959 Prodrive Rally Raid
• 1993 Porsche 928 GTS
• 1993 Porsche 968 Turbo S
• 1995 Porsche 911 GT2
• 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion
• 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder
• 2019 Porsche 911 Carrera S
• 2021 Porsche 911 GT3
• 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
• 2023 Porsche 911 Rallye

R

• 2024 Ram 1500 TRX
• 1967 Renault 8 Gordini
• 1980 Renault 5 Turbo
• 1993 Renault Clio Williams
• 2008 Renault Megane R26.R
• 2010 Renault Megane RS 250
• 2018 Renault Megane R.S.
• 2016 RJ Anderson #37 Polaris RZR-Rockstar Energy Pro 2 Truck
• 2021 RJ Anderson #37 Polaris RZR Pro 4 Truck

S

• 2017 Saleen S7 LM
• 2021 SIERRA Cars 700R
• 1990 Subaru Legacy RS
• 1994 Subaru Vivio RX-R
• 1994 Subaru Vivio RX-R Forza Edition
• 1996 Subaru SVX
• 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B-STi Version
• 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
• 2005 Subaru Legacy B4 2.0 GT
• 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
• 2011 Subaru WRX STI
• 2013 Subaru BRZ
• 2015 Subaru WRX STI
• 2018 Subaru WRX STI ARX Supercar
• 2019 Subaru STI S209
• 2022 Subaru BRZ
• 2022 Subaru WRX

T

• 1965 Toyota Sports 800
• 1965 Toyota Sports 800 Fanta Edition (promotional DLC code)
• 1969 Toyota 2000GT
• 1974 Toyota Corolla SR5
• 1979 Toyota FJ40
• 1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex
• 1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex Forza Edition
• 1989 Toyota MR2 SC
• 1991 Toyota Chaser GT Twin Turbo
• 1991 Toyota Sera
• 1992 Toyota Celica GT-Four RC ST185
• 1992 Toyota Supra 2.0 GT
• 1993 Toyota #1 Baja T100 Truck
• 1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205
• 1995 Toyota J&J Motorsport Supra WTAC (Time Attack Car Pack)
• 1995 Toyota MR2 GT
• 1996 Toyota Starlet Glanza V
• 1997 Toyota Chaser 2.5 Tourer V
• 1999 Toyota Altezza RS200 Z EDITION
• 1997 Toyota Soarer 2.5 GT-T
• 1998 Toyota Supra RZ
• 2003 Toyota Celica Sport Specialty II
• 2005 Toyota Crown Super Deluxe Taxi
• 2013 Toyota 86
• 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser Arctic Trucks AT37
• 2017 Toyota JPN Taxi
• 2019 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
• 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
• 2020 Toyota GR Supra
• 2021 Toyota GR Yaris
• 2022 Toyota GR86
• 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser
• 2025 Toyota GR GT Prototype
• 2005 TVR Sagaris
• 2018 TVR Griffith

V

• 1963 Volkswagen Type 2 De Luxe
• 1969 Volkswagen Class 5/1600 Baja Bug
• 1983 Volkswagen Golf GTI
• 1992 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V Mk2
• 1995 Volkswagen Corrado VR6
• 2011 Volkswagen Scirocco R
• 2014 Volkswagen Golf R
• 2021 Volkswagen Golf R
• 2022 Volkswagen Golf R
• 1983 Volvo 242 Turbo Evolution

W

• 2013 Wuling Sunshine S
• 2022 Wuling Hongguang Mini EV Macaron

As further details are released, including more cars and more specifics on model variants and years, this list will be continually updated.

Don't forget to bookmark it and check back often to see if your favorite cars made it to the roster!

Forza Horizon 6 launches on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass on May 19, 2026, but it is now available via early access for players who have purchased the game's Premium Upgrade or Premium Edition. A PlayStation 5 release is confirmed for a later date in 2026.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The end of 2025 has come and we've kicked off another new year once again, which naturally means we're back in January. And as January came again, so to did Microsoft's annual Xbox Developer Direct showcase — a tight, roughly 45-minute presentation in which developers gave fans a closer look at some of the new games coming to Xbox systems, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass in 2026.

Indeed, as opposed to the Xbox Games Showcase run every summer that focuses on titles scheduled for release in the coming years, the Xbox Developer Direct is instead centered around games that are set to launch in just a few months. This makes it uniquely exciting for players compared to other conferences.

This year's show included deep dives from Playground Games for its highly anticipated open-world racer Forza Horizon 6 and its long-awaited reboot of the classic RPG series Fable, along with a closer look at the action RPG Beast of Reincarnation from Pokémon developer Game Freak. Beyond that, a secret fourth game was shown at the presentation, too...

We've previously covered how to watch 2026's Xbox Developer Direct, but in the event that you couldn't catch the show live yourself and want a recap, this article is for you. Below, you'll find a complete overview of the showcase.

Forza Horizon 6

Microsoft opened the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 show with a deep look at Forza Horizon 6, detailing several of the game's systems while also showing off its meticulously crafted rendition of Japan.

Developer Playground Games explained that the game's primary campaign is focused around the feeling of going on a journey, with you starting as a tourist to Japan that has to earn their place in the Horizon Festival by completing qualifiers, overcoming obstacle course challenges in Horizon Rush events, and unlocking wristbands. Earning your gold wristband will then unlock a special "Legend" island with exclusive locations to explore.

The rest of the Japan is fully explorable from the get-go, with Playground focusing on delivering a balance of "rural and urban, modern and traditional" areas that represent the country's rich history and culture. It's the largest Forza Horizon map ever, with tons of verticality, biome variety, and significant seasonal changes.

The developers traveled to Japan to capture reference, studying weather patterns, getting photogrammetry of its landscapes, scanning roads and buildings, and even recording the country's natural soundscapes before working to bring all of it in-game authentically. Tokyo itself is said to be five times larger than any city featured in Forza before.

But what about the cars themselves? Playground says there will be over 550 at launch, with deeper customization and better performance balance than previous titles. Many cars will be found and made purchasable as you find them around the map, and there will also be customizable garages at player houses too.

One unique feature will be The Estate, a large plot of land that's overgrown and empty when first unlocked, but can be gradually upgraded as you play into your own high-class property. Notably, the devs also say Forza Horizon 6 is carrying forward all previous accessibility features while implementing new ones, and say you'll be able to build custom tracks anywhere on the map and do it with friends if you want.

The Forza Horizon 6 showcase closed with the confirmation that it's launching on May 19, 2026 on Xbox systems and PC, with the game set to come to PlayStation at a later date.

Beast of Reincarnation

Game Freak's upcoming action RPG Beast of Reincarnation was next up at the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 show, with the Pokémon developer's next game getting an extensive gameplay showcase as well.

The game is set in post-apocalyptic Japan 2,000 years in the future, in a world "consumed by a blight," and with gameplay "described as a one-person one-dog action RPG." It follows protagonist Emma and her wolf-like companion Koo as they journey through the dark and lonely setting, with Emma's "vine-like" hair giving her some unique abilities that help her traverse the ruins of human civilization.

Along the way, the pair will encounter "malefacts," which are creatures fused with other animals and the plants causing the blight that ended the world. As Emma and Koo defeat them, Emma will seal away their blight within her body, as she has special powers. Deadly malefacts called Nushi threaten the Capital, a last bastion of human civilization; Emma and Koo are tasked with thwarting them, with their final target being an especially dangerous Beast of Reincarnation.

There are also golems, which are a faction of mechanical enemies humans transferred their souls into in an effort to survive the blight hundreds of years ago. Their souls have deteriorated, however, causing the golems to ultimately become hostile.

Both Emma and Koo possess blight-based powers, and bounce off one another in interesting ways. As Emma parries attacks, for example, Koo will power up until she can unleash a powerful Blooming Art that deals major damage to all nearby foes; this then gives Emma some different follow-up options of her own. As you progress, you'll get access to various new skills that build on this teamwork-driven gameplay flow, with numerous different options for customizing your build through gear and other unlocks as well.

Notably, at the end of the presentation, it was announced that it's coming out on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation in Summer 2026, and that the game will also be playable through Xbox Game Pass; this is quite notable, given that Beast of Reincarnation is a third-party title.

Kiln

Surprise! The Xbox Developer Direct 2026's fourth hidden game is Kiln, a new multiplayer party brawler from Keeper and Psychonauts developer Double Fine Productions that grew from a game jam concept formed way back in 2017.

It tasks you with creating your own unique piece of pottery, and then using it to battle other players across a variety of different maps, with the ultimate goal being to carry water to the other team's kiln and put out its fires while protecting your own.

On the creation side of things, Kiln allows you to design your pottery with a wide variety of different shape types and decorative adornments, ensuring that your cups, mugs, pots, vases, feel uniquely yours. But then in the thick of the action, each of those shapes feature distinct strengths, weaknesses, and abilities to learn and master, along with bespoke animations.

Notably, the maps have nearly as much diversity and personality as the pottery itself, with some featuring special pathways you can only access with certain pottery types, unique elements that shake up the gameplay experience like sponges you can swell with water to block routes, and more. Overall, the stages seem to have an Ancient Mythology focus — fitting, considering how prominent clay pottery was in early human history.

Kiln is coming to Xbox, PC, and PlayStation in Spring 2026, with Double Fine promising regular updates, new activities and modes, and more. A Closed Beta is coming soon as well, and will give some a chance to play Double Fine's latest early.

Fable

Microsoft closed 2026's Xbox Developer Direct with an in-depth look at Playground Games' other upcoming game, the Fable reboot. The studio explained that the core focus of the RPG is "what does it mean to be a hero?" and figuring out what kind of hero — and in general, what kind of person — you want to be.

This is reflected in the ability to make a highly customizable character, fight enemies with a combination of melee, ranged, and magic options, and even to play a "game within a game" life simulation experience in which you can learn and master craftsmanship trades, romance and marry NPCs, start families, buy up houses and businesses, and more.

This type of slice-of-life gameplay was a huge part of the original Fable games, so Playground felt it was important to include and elevate it in this reboot of the series.

Notably, the world of Albion will be highly and deeply reactive to all of the different choices you make, with your reputation with others rising or falling depending on what you say to them and how your actions impact their lives. Major story decisions like, say, killing a giant will leave his corpse near a town's land for the rest of the game, reducing property value and annoying its citizens.

At the end of its Fable segment, Playground Games revealed that Fable is scheduled to launch later this year in Fall 2026 on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation.

FAQ

One of Microsoft's biggest first-party Xbox franchises is the racing series Forza, with its publishing wing Xbox Game Studios releasing both the competitive sim racer Forza Motorsport and the open-world arcade-style title Forza Horizon.

Forza Horizon 6, Playground Games' next entry in the latter subseries that's coming to Xbox and PC later this year (and PS5 at some point after that), is scheduled to get a deep dive at the upcoming Xbox Developer Direct showcase on January 22. This is also when it's expected that Microsoft will reveal the title's official release date — but notably, a new leak may have just spoiled that detail entirely.

That leak comes from a post on X (Twitter) made by a fan who supposedly encountered a pop-up in Forza Horizon 5 advertising the sequel. It directly mentions a Premium Edition, and says that by preordering it, you'll get access to Forza Horizon 6 four days early on May 15, strongly implying a May 19, 2026 release date for the standard edition of the title.

The message also says that the Premium Edition will net you a Forza Horizon 6 VIP Membership (in Forza Horizon 5, this gave you exclusive cars, credit boosts, access to special events, and more), a Welcome Pack, the game's Car Pass, a Time Attack Car Pack, an Italian Passion Car Pack coming post-launch, and two DLC expansions coming down the line.

It also notes that all Forza Horizon 6 preorders will be rewarded with "a pre-tuned and exclusive" Ferrari J50 at launch, and that the game itself will feature over 550 cars to "discover the breathtaking landscapes of Japan" with in "Forza Horizon's biggest open-world driving adventure yet."

The pop-up looks quite official and very real, so there's a strong likelihood that it's not fake. With that said, it's entirely possible that it is fake, so take this information with a grain of salt as you would with any other leak.

The player that posted the screenshot says that "It appeared when I left the garage and before I started taking delivery of my car," but "did not appear when I tried again." The Windows Central team hasn't been able to get the pop-up to appear in Forza Horizon 5 either, suggesting that — assuming it's real — it was intended to go live in-game after Forza Horizon 6 was shown at Developer Direct, but erroneously appeared in this fan's game due to a glitch.

Again, assuming this launch day isn't fake, this leak has spoiled one of the biggest surprises that Xbox and Playground Games had to share during the Developer Direct presentation. Still, the news that it's coming in May will no doubt make many players very happy, as some believed it wouldn't release until the later months of 2026.

If it's received well, Forza Horizon 6 is expected to perform exceptionally well for Microsoft and Xbox as Forza Horizon 5 has. Since its release in 2021, the predecessor has sold incredibly well, stands as one of the most popular Xbox Game Pass titles, and was even the best-selling game on PS5 in 2025 — at least until Battlefield 6 showed up.

Like Forza Horizon 5 and all other first-party releases from Xbox, Forza Horizon 6 will be available to play on Xbox and PC through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on day one, with the game potentially coming to other tiers of the service later.

Do you believe this Forza Horizon 6 release date leak is real, or do you think it's fake? Are you excited to jump into Playground Games' next open-world racer? Let me know in the comments.

I love PC gaming. But at the same time, I really hate PC gaming. My recent woes getting Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 to stop crashing on my PC is the perfect example of why consoles should always have a place. And now there's another one.

It appears that NVIDIA's latest driver has suddenly broken some older Microsoft games on PC, namely Forza Horizon 3, Forza Motorsport 6 Apex, and Forza Motorsport 7, as reported by VideoCardz.

The trouble with older games is that they're not necessarily going to get fixed, either. Be it a driver problem, or something in those games that's conflicting with something the newer driver does. There is a workaround, which while not ideal, will at least get you back playing your classic Forza.

The report first surfaced in NVIDIA's forums, suggesting trying to play these titles with the new driver presents an AP204 error, showing the GPU as not compatible. The specific complaint was first raised regarding an NVIDIA RTX 50 series GPU.

Following up, one of NVIDIA's staff confirmed the bug, but also that it may not be guaranteed to get fixed. The workaround is to roll back to the 576.88 NVIDIA driver, at least for now, as it'll get you playing again.

As described in the NVIDIA response, if the game is doing something out of NVIDIA's control that isn't compatible with newer drivers, there's potentially nothing that can be done. That would fall on Microsoft, and it's not exactly going to be on the priority list.

Once again, it looks like the best way to keep playing the older games in your library is on a console. I'll admit it's been a minute since I played any of these titles, but I'm quite sure I could fire up my Xbox console and jump right in without any issues.

It speaks more to the constant, wider threat that with PC gaming, that stuff can break at a moment's notice. There are simply more variables.

The experience can, and should, be better overall, but not when you have to spend time dealing with issues and frustration. Anyway, rant over. If you're affected, roll back to the older driver, and you should be good to go.

FAQ

Forza Horizon 6 is real. We all knew that, really, and I even covered rumors leading up to the announcement (which ended up being true). It still feels great to write it, though — Xbox unveiled Forza Horizon 6 at the Tokyo Game Show.

We only have a short teaser trailer to slake our Forza Horizon thirst right now, but it still confirms that fans are finally getting the location we've requested since the first Horizon game released back in 2012.

Japan is the setting of choice for FH6, and all the ingredients are here for this to possibly be the best open-world racing game of all time. I'm getting ahead of myself, though — here's what I want to see, and everything we already know about Forza Horizon 6.

I can't help but get excited over a teaser

You can check out the Tokyo Game Show 2025 teaser trailer above, but there isn't a ton to see at this point. The trailer takes us through the history of Forza's most popular series, starting with Colorado and heading to Europe, Australia, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and finally ending with the latest destination.

Then, subtlety be damned, the camera sweeps up, and we're met with a gorgeous vista featuring one of the most distinct natural landmarks in the world. It's Mount Everest! No, wait, this is Mount Fuji in Japan.

That's honestly not a lot to go on, but it's enough to get me on board the hype train. Forza Horizon 6 will take us to Japan on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox on PC via Xbox Play Anywhere, Windows PC via Steam, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass sometime in 2026, and we'll be learning more about the game starting early next year.

We didn't even see any cars, so I can't start on my next-gen Forza Horizon car list. So, why am I so excited? Because I know how seriously developer Playground Games takes adapting a real-world location to the fictional Horizon Festival, and there's a reason Japan has been so highly requested by the Forza community for years.

It's not just the sweeping landscapes and diverse rural areas, or the bustling urban environments packed with decades of history — it's Japan's rich car history, which could shape Forza Horizon 6 into a very different game than we've seen before.

There's a reason our first dive into the world of FH6 is this interview with the game's Art Director and Cultural Consultant at News.Xbox.com. I'm already impatient to see more.

I have big hopes for Forza Horizon 6

I love Forza Horizon 5, but I'll be the first to admit I haven't properly sat down to play it for a long while. I'm ready for the next chapter in the Forza Horizon series, and while we still have months (at least) to wait, I already know some of what I want to see in the next game.

It helps that Playground will be supported by Turn 10 Studios (of Forza Motorsport fame), which should help make FH6 the biggest and most ambitious of the series so far.

• Improved driving & world physics. This one is basically a given, thanks to the new ForzaTech engine that Forza Horizon 6 will undoubtedly be built on, but I still want to see proper upgrades to the driving physics and depth of environmental details.
• Deeper car customization. If Forza Horizon 6 is really going to embrace Japanese car culture, more options to customize our vehicles is a must. The Forza Horizon series' car customization has been a little lackluster for years now, so this is Playground's chance to completely change things up and give us more ways to flex our style.
• A different live service model. One of the reasons I stopped playing Forza Horizon 5 as much is how it felt like I was logging in every week just to complete a checklist and leave again. The weekly Festival Playlist had a tendency to become monotonous and repetitive, and FH5's monthly updates often failed to bring any meaningful changes or new content beyond a handful of new vehicles. I'd like to see Playground get more creative here, even if it means updates take a little longer to arrive.
• Three DLC expansions. I know I'm jumping way ahead of myself here, since we know nothing about FH6 and whether it'll get expansions at all, but previous Forza Horizon games have gotten two expansions and then nothing but cars and free updates after. It has never felt like quite enough, and I'd like to see Forza Horizon 6 push the bar even higher with a third beefy expansion after launch.

When it comes to the campaign, online content, driver progression, and the car list... I'll wait until I see what Playground has been cooking up. This game is bound to be massive, and should keep me pretty busy in the coming months as Playground and Xbox drip feed us information leading up to release.

Here's everything we know so far

Xbox’s Tokyo Game Show 2025 has just wrapped up, and there was plenty on display for everyone. The presentation opened with Phil Spencer speaking Japanese in a very American accent, which gave me a small chuckle. Thankfully, he switched back to English as he set expectations for the showcase.

Gungrave G.O.R.E.: Blood Heat

Gungrave is back, and this time it’s bigger than ever. The cult classic that first launched in 2002 is being completely reimagined with Gungrave G.O.R.E.: Blood Heat, a full rebirth of the series built in Unreal Engine 5. Everything from the combat to the level design has been rebuilt, aiming to modernize the over-the-top gunplay while keeping the series’ dark, gothic edge intact. Even if you’ve never played a Gungrave game before, this new entry is designed to stand on its own, while still offering the same dual-pistol chaos fans fell in love with years ago. It arrives on November 12, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S and PC, launching day one with Game Pass.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly was first released in 2003 on the PS2, known in Japan as Project Zero II. Now it’s getting the full remake treatment, something long-time fans will welcome. This Japanese horror classic follows two twin sisters lost in an abandoned village, armed only with a mystical camera that can capture and fight off ghosts. It launches in 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, available day one with Game Pass.

Animo

In what’s likely giving Nintendo a small heart attack, Aniimo looks like it takes notes from Pokémon and the newer Palworld. It’s an open-world action RPG where you can capture creatures called Aniimo, then either control them directly or fuse with them for combat and exploration. The game will be Xbox Play Anywhere, but there’s no confirmation on a release date or other details just yet, though pre-registration is open.

Monster Hunter Stories 1, 2 and 3

As if Monster Hunter Stories 3 coming to Xbox wasn’t enough, the entire Stories lineup is dropping on the platform. It’s a welcome addition for anyone who hasn’t tried them before, as the Stories games are quite different from Worlds or Wilds, but still packed with charm and fun. Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2 are also coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series, with pre-orders open now, while Monster Hunter Stories 3 is set to launch on March 13, 2026.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake

The classic JRPG is back. Originally released in the 1980s, Dragon Quest I & II is returning with a full HD-2D remake, and it looks stunning. Square Enix also revealed a brand-new area called the Ocean Floor, proving this is more than just a straight remake and offering new content for fans. The game launches on October 30, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Project Evilbane

This one kind of came out of nowhere, and it ended up being one of the more interesting games shown. Project Evilbane is a new 4-player co-op action RPG with a heavy dark fantasy vibe. At first glance, I thought it looked like more of Crimson Desert, which gives you a good idea of the tone. The game is still a ways off, set to launch in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Play Anywhere support confirmed.

Ninja Gaiden 4

In partnership with PlatinumGames, Ninja Gaiden 4 isn’t far off, and the showcase focused on two of its modes. Hero Mode is designed for a more casual playthrough, giving you auto-guard, auto-dodge, and assists that can be toggled mid-game to match your comfort level. For those who want the classic punishing challenge, Master Ninja Mode was also shown. It’s a hardcore difficulty that can’t be changed once selected, built for players chasing the toughest experience possible. Ninja Gaiden 4 launches on October 21, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S and PC, supporting Xbox Play Anywhere and day one with Game Pass.

Mistfall Hunter

A brand-new IP, Mistfall Hunter is a third-person action PvPvE extraction RPG with a dark fantasy twist. Game director HAO introduced the game at TGS, thanking players for joining recent betas and highlighting the Solemn Needles map, a pale forest haunted by divine energy and the towering Divine Anchor. The game mixes survival and extraction mechanics with co-op play, supporting up to four players as you fight both enemies and rival hunters. It’s planned to release in 2025 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Play Anywhere confirmed.

Terminull Brigade

Terminull Brigade is a free-to-play third-person action roguelike looter-shooter set in a sci-fi world. Not much was shown beyond a cinematic, but it looks like it could give Marathon some competition. The game is already playable on PC via Game Pass, with procedurally generated encounters, loot upgrades, and that familiar extraction risk-versus-reward loop. It comes to Xbox consoles in October 2025.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

I could sit here and grill Call of Duty, but Treyarch and Activision do seem to be making some smart changes based on community feedback. From turning down partnerships that didn’t fit the game’s themes to showing off a surprisingly strong Zombies mode the other day, I’m actually a little more interested in Black Ops 7 than I was. At TGS, the spotlight was on its Japanese-themed multiplayer maps, and they genuinely looked impressive. Black Ops 7 launches on November 14, 2025, and will be available day one on Game Pass.

Forza Horizon 6

Unfortunately for Xbox, this one leaked earlier in the day through an Instagram post, which we covered, but it was still good to finally see it properly revealed. And honestly, Forza Horizon 6 looks seriously impressive. Japan has been the most requested setting for years, and Playground is delivering, with a mix of neon-lit cityscapes, traditional countryside, and iconic backdrops like Mount Fuji. The reveal confirmed a 2026 release window, with the game launching on Xbox Series X|S and PC, supporting Xbox Play Anywhere and arriving day one with Game Pass.

Quick hits from the showcase

Here's also a quick-fire run of other titles shown. Project 007: First Light got a new trailer, while Hotel Barcelona from Swery is finally launching tomorrow. Rhythm Doctor is making its way to Xbox, offering a quirky rhythm twist, and Sudden Strike 5 continues the long-running WWII strategy series. Double Dragon Revive also showed more of its story mode and unlockable content, with a 2025 release. On top of that, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven shadow-dropped into Game Pass today, Starsand Island is set for February 1, 2026, and Winter Burrow brings cozy mouse survival to Xbox on November 12, 2025.

DLC / Expansions

On the expansions front, there was plenty to keep existing players busy. Microsoft Flight Simulator is getting a Japan world update, with detailed cities like Osaka and Kyoto alongside landmarks such as Mount Fuji and Tokyo Tower. Hitman: World of Assassination players can now hunt down a new Bruce Lee celebrity target, which is live today. Fallout 76 highlighted its latest community-driven C.A.M.P. update and content drops, while Age of Mythology: Retold – Heavenly Spear DLC lands on September 30, 2025, adding a Japanese pantheon, myth units, and a brand-new campaign.

While the Tokyo Game Show reveal of Forza Horizon 6 did not make mention of the PS5, additional information released by Xbox gives us the information we want to know.

"Forza Horizon 6 will launch first on Xbox consoles and PC in 2026. With the excitement for this franchise on other platforms, Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios are also working together to bring Forza Horizon 6 to PlayStation 5 post-launch."

So that's a pretty resounding yes, then. It's understandable that one of Xbox's biggest franchises would not launch simultaneously on the PS5, but credit for acknowledging the plans this early.

Beyond "coming 2026" we don't actually know when Forza Horizon 6 will be launching at all. Nor how long post-launch it may be before PS5 players can get their fill. The fact this has been confirmed already would suggest to me that it won't be as long a wait as Forza Horizon 5 was, though.

It's a smart move, too. When Forza Horizon 5 launched on PS5, it immediately became a best-selling game on the platform. With cross-play available to race against players on PC and Xbox consoles, there's literally never been a bigger Forza Horizon community.

Forza Horizon 6 headlines a big year for Xbox

2026 marks a special year for Xbox. It'll be the 25th anniversary of the console that evolved into the brand we all know today. A lot has certainly changed in that time!

Microsoft Gaming CEO, Phil Spencer, already teased some big titles for the anniversary year, with Forza Horizon being one of them. That boxed is now firmly checked, and what better way to celebrate than with one of the biggest titles in your library.

Japan is also the number one most requested location by the Forza Horizon community. So far the franchise has been to the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Mexico, but never Asia.

The diverse nature of the environment in and out of city settings in Japan is absolutely perfect for a Forza Horizon game. And let's not forget how massive Japanese car culture is around the world.

Forza Horizon 6 Q&A

Ahead of Xbox’s Tokyo Games Showcase, it looks like Forza Horizon 6 has leaked. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone gets a stern telling off. It’s long been rumored, and hotly anticipated, that the next Forza Horizon game would be set in Japan. Thanks to an early Instagram post, that now seems very likely. Let’s break down what the advert actually shows before TGS 2025 starts.

Horizon heads to Japan

The ad begins quietly, without giving away too much detail. Then, it pans to a Japanese lucky cat — or maneki-neko if we’re being technical — a traditional ceramic figurine meant to symbolize good fortune.

A butterfly drifts past the lucky cat, revealing the word レジェンド, which Google Translate suggests means “Legend.” The advert continues with the butterfly floating out of the window, revealing a Japanese landscape with Mt. Fuji in the distance, all while the sound of an engine revs up in the background.

The Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 showcase is scheduled to start on Thursday, September 25, at 7:00 PM JST (Japan Standard Time), which corresponds to 3:00 AM PT (Pacific Time), 6:00 AM ET (Eastern Time), 11:00 AM BST (British Summer Time), and 12:00 PM CEST (Central European Summer Time).

Japan has long been one of the most requested settings for the series, and it looks like fans won’t have to wait much longer. Speculation has been running since the days of Forza Horizon 4, which was set in the United Kingdom.

With this latest entry, Japan joins the U.S.A., Australia, Mexico, and parts of Europe in receiving the Horizon treatment. I can’t wait to see how Playground Games brings it to life.

What do you think? Are you excited, or would you have preferred a different location? Japan has been one of the most requested settings since the days of Horizon 2, so I can’t imagine many fans will be disappointed.

Forza Horizon 5 is rapidly approaching its fourth birthday, and the open-world racing game has already enjoyed quite the journey... but Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios are surely working on what comes next, right?

Fans have been waiting for news of Forza Horizon 6 for ages now, and we even got a tease from Xbox's Phil Spencer that we may see the hotly anticipated sequel in 2026. Now, we have reason to believe we may actually see FH6 even sooner than that.

By "we," I mean Windows Central; here's the scoop.

Forza Horizon 6 could be announced this year

Reddit threads like this one have sparked new discussions of Forza Horizon 6 following a now-deleted Instagram post from an Australian car import company showing a Playground Games member digitally scanning a Kei (a class of ultra-compact Japanese vehicles) for FH6.

As Kei vehicles are rarely seen outside of Japan, the post revitalized hope that the Forza Horizon series will finally head to Japan for its next setting, a location that has been requested for practically every entry since the first game.

A lot of people and even websites have run with this, but the "leak" is admittedly weak; there's no concrete evidence that Forza Horizon 6 is set in Japan, only that it'll likely feature more Japanese vehicles. Of course, Windows Central has more to add to the story, thanks to our sources.

We've seen official, widely circulated documents strongly suggesting that Forza Horizon 6 is actually planned to be announced during 2025's Tokyo Game Show, an annual gaming-focused conference kicking off in Japan toward the end of September.

This year's TGS is set to be the largest in the event's history, and Xbox has already confirmed it'll be attending — and announcing. With the Tokyo Game Show focused on the Japanese gaming market, choosing to reveal Forza Horizon 6 here rather than at events like Gamescom only makes sense if the game is, in fact, set in Japan.

As always, these are still rumors and should be taken with a grain of salt — but it's definitely more solid than just a wayward Instagram post.

What can we expect from Forza Horizon 6?

Forza Horizon 5 has seen immense success since its launch in 2021, and has even been one of 2025's best-selling games after its fated arrival on PlayStation. The Forza Horizon 5 car list also numbers well over 800 unique vehicles, although that number has now stopped growing.

Yes, I knew Forza Horizon 5 was destined for greatness from the moment I reviewed it, but the signs have been here for months that Xbox is preparing to begin a new era of Forza. Forza Horizon 5 is no longer receiving new content, instead recycling its years of constant monthly updates as whatever comes next cooks in the background.

Now that we're reasonably certain FH6 will be announced sooner rather than later (likely with a 2026 release window), we can talk about what to expect. The obvious? Forza Horizon 6 will be built on the same, upgraded ForzaTech engine powering Forza Motorsport (2023) and the upcoming Fable reboot, so we can expect major visual upgrades.

I'm most excited for enhancements to the driving physics, though, as Forza Horizon 6 should be the deepest and most detailed Forza Horizon game yet.

The Forza Motorsport simulation racing franchise may be effectively dead after heavy layoffs at developer Turn 10 Studios, but we also know the remainder of Turn 10 is now focused on supporting Playground with Forza Horizon, so we can expect this game to be ambitious in scale and scope.

If FH6 really is set in Japan (and we're pretty confident at this point that it is), that'll hopefully fix one of the biggest issues many people have with the current entry. Forza Horizon 5 is the biggest and most beautiful Forza Horizon game of all time, but many racers claim the map (which is set in Mexico) is bland and boring.

A Japanese setting will hopefully result in a more engaging and interesting map for long-time play, and Japan has a thriving car culture that's just perfect for the Horizon Festival... but there is another change I really want to see.

Forza Horizon 5 enjoyed longer support than previous titles, but it also highlighted the weaknesses of the monthly updates centered around the Festival Playlist.

FH5's live service elements quickly grew repetitive, with the majority of updates feeling inconsequential apart from the addition of a handful of new cars. I'd like to see FH6 adapt a new approach to post-launch support with more varied and meaningful updates — even if they don't arrive as frequently.

Finally, what about platform support? Forza Horizon 6 is absolutely coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass on day one, but will PlayStation players get the chance to play?

Considering how successful FH5 has been on Sony's platform, there's zero chance its sequel won't also come to PlayStation consoles... I just don't expect it to be on day one. I expect we'll see Forza Horizon 6 arrive on PlayStation six months to a year after the initial launch (hopefully with actual cross-save support this time).

Hopefully, we'll get the answers to all of these questions and more when Forza Horizon 6 is (probably) announced at Tokyo Game Show 2025 in around a month.

It really has been a tough week for Xbox, naturally, worst for those affected personally by the raft of layoffs, cancellations, and closures.

Amid all of the bad news, it's reported that as much as 50% of the Turn 10 team was hit by the layoffs. Turn 10 is one half of the Forza gang at Xbox, taking charge of Forza Motorsport, as well as having been behind the ForzaTech engine upon which the games are built.

Now, we're starting to hear more about what it all might mean for the future of Forza Motorsport, and it's not the best news.

It starts with a former member of the Turn 10 team, Fred Russell, who has posted on Facebook (via Eurogamer) that Forza Motorsport has been "shuttered." Though it should be said, Russell isn't a member of the team that has been affected by these layoffs, rather someone who has worked there previously.

In a follow-up, Russell has further claimed that Forza Horizon will continue, and that Turn 10 will be pivoting to act as support for Playground Games that makes the Horizon franchise.

Windows Central's own sources, who remained anonymous due to lack of authorization to speak on the matter publicly, have said that there's currently no definitive "cancellation" of the series. It's understood it could return some day, but that Turn 10 for now will indeed focus on Forza Horizon.

Forza Motorsport was only rebooted in 2023, but even without this report, we weren't expecting a new title any time soon. In the alternating release cycle, we always expected a new Forza Horizon next, and Microsoft Gaming CEO, Phil Spencer, has already teased this for 2026 in the recent Xbox Showcase.

I don't have any true idea on what the player count is like for Forza Motorsport these days, but it's fair to say Horizon is overall orders of magnitude more popular. Upon its release on PlayStation 5 earlier this year, it was a top 3 seller on the PlayStation Store.

The Horizon series has a wider appeal than Forza Motorsport, despite the latter having arrived first. Its open world 'Car-PG' gameplay and more arcade-racer feel is more appealing to the less serious racing game enthusiasts.

And I speak from the heart here, but it's more fun than Forza Motorsport in the current day. I love Forza Motorsport, but I love Horizon more.

If indeed all this pans out as being accurate, it also raises a question of what's going to happen to the Forza Motorsport game already out in the wild. It's not even two years old at this point, but if Turn 10 is shifting focus, is that it for any future content and support?

I've reached out to Microsoft for comment on just that, and will update accordingly if I receive a response.

It's a sad day in a sad week, though. Our thoughts are always with the people affected, first and foremost. My personal gratitude will always go out to anyone, past and present, associated with Turn 10, for creating games that I've poured more enjoyable hours into than I could count.

Whether it's goodbye, or just see you later, the legacy will always remain.

I've actually met Phil Spencer in person, and even shared a few drinks... But I must have made a bad impression, because I'm convinced he has a personal grudge against me.

The evidence is clear — Xbox as a whole must despise me, because the Xbox Games Showcase 2025 was missing some of the games I so desperately wanted to see during the event.

Obviously, that's a joke (although I'm stating the obvious because some internet-bound folks take everything too seriously), but there were some Xbox and Windows PC projects that we didn't see during the show that I wish we had.

While we're here, I may as well rant a little.

Honorable mention — Hollow Knight: Silksong

Allow me to declare a truth that will undeservedly earn me the ire of those piled too high on the metaphorical hype train — I have absolutely zero interest in Hollow Knight: Silksong.

I'd fight the sun before claiming that I care about one of the most anticipated upcoming games in years... and I'd have to play the first Hollow Knight to do that, so it's simply not happening.

That being said, I do have to give an honorable mention to what I'm fairly confident is the greatest video games troll of the decade. Hollow Knight: Silksong deftly evades every event that draws even a modicum of attention from Hollow Knight fans, to the point where it has become a running joke.

Silksong was mentioned during Summer Game Fest just to fuel the fire and troll even more at the Xbox Games Showcase, where it was a part of the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally gaming handheld announcement. Alas, there was no trailer in sight, much to the disappointment of at least three people, but we did randomly get some news after the events.

5. Everwild

Between the prolonged periods of absence and the rumors of a complicated development, I honestly can't tell you with any degree of confidence what Everwild is. It's so intangible, our Everwild guide hasn't been touched in years.

What I can say is that Sea of Thieves, being the narrative-light live service game that it is, has never won me over. I've wanted to see more out of Rare for a very long time, given its storied history as a legendary studio, and Everwild is supposed to be exactly that.

It was announced in 2019, back when Xbox's shallower pool of first-party studios encouraged it to tease games years ahead of time. I wouldn't be nearly as passionate about the game if it only existed as a rumor, but we know Everwild is in the process of being created — we just don't know anything about it.

Is Everwild truly still years away from release? I'm not sure, but I would've loved an update during the Xbox Games Showcase, at least to realign our expectations and give us a fresh perspective on the kind of game Everwild is aiming to be.

4. Fable

I normally detest the way such varied genres are lumped together as the "Sports & Racing" category, but in this case it's apt: I typically don't enjoy sports and racing games.

Forza Horizon is the absolute exception, and the sheer quality of the franchise has led Playground Games to become one of my most beloved and trusted studios. That makes it all the more exciting that Xbox chose Playground — a team traditionally dedicated to open-world racing games — to take on a new challenge: take a legendary RPG franchise and revitalize it for modern platforms and audiences.

Yes, Playground Games is in charge of the end-to-end reboot of Fable, and every snippet and all-too-brief trailer I've seen of this studio's debut in an all-new genre has furthered my excitement.

I understand that the Fable reboot was recently delayed, so I'm not altogether too shocked that it didn't make an appearance during the Xbox Games Showcase, but that doesn't quite halt my disappointment. This game has been on my most-anticipated list since its announcement, and I want to see more of it.

Phil Spencer did, at least, tease that we should be playing Fable in 2026, mind.

3. REPLACED

Perhaps not so surprisingly, REPLACED is the only game on this list that doesn't hail from a member of the Xbox Game Studios.

Well, I am an avid fan of Xbox, but it'd be ridiculous to presume all of my most anticipated titles originated from the first-party publisher — even on this list of games I specifically wanted to see during the Xbox Games Showcase, REPLACED made the list.

REPLACED may be a "pixel art" game, but it's also one of the most breathtakingly beautiful games I've ever laid eyes on. Correction: one of the most beautiful games with which I've gone hands-on, as I've actually played a tiny portion of REPLACED.

Something about this game in particular makes me drool in anticipation, and it's confirmed day one addition to Xbox Game Pass (and its subsequent partnership with Xbox) makes it an obvious addition to this list. I need to play this game.

2. Forza Horizon 6

Forza Horizon 5, which I had the privilege of reviewing for Windows Central, is still one of my highest-rated video games of all time. That doesn't necessarily mean it's one of my all-time favorite games, but it's certainly up there.

With Forza Horizon 5 dialing down its live service updates alongside its momentous launch on PlayStation, it makes complete sense that I'd be attentive to the inevitable announcement of Forza Horizon 6. Alas, Playground ducked me again.

Never mind the rumors that FH6 may finally take the open-world racing series to Japan, I'm mostly excited to see what Playground Games can accomplish with the technically impressive, upgraded ForzaTech engine Turn 10 Studios showcased with Forza Motorsport (2023)... Which I also reviewed.

Forza Horizon 6 is almost guaranteed to be one of the most visually impressive games of the decade, but I'm also simply excited to embark on another wild, free-roam adventure behind the wheel of whatever car I fancy at the moment.

I know we may see Forza Horizon 6 officially revealed next year, but I would've loved at least a teaser during the Xbox Games Showcase.

1. State of Decay 3

Finally, we have the game that makes me froth at the maw (I wasn't bitten, I promise), and the next project from Undead Labs. State of Decay 2 is one of my favorite co-op games of all time, and I've been eagerly awaiting every scrap of news on its sequel.

Well, we finally got something on State of Decay 3 last year, but it seems this game is still trapped well in the future. Undead Labs didn't make an appearance during the latest Xbox Games Showcase, nor did we even get a teaser.

With State of Decay 2 officially done receiving updates (and it kept getting new content for far longer than I think anyone expected), my hunger for the next zombie-infested adventure has only deepened.

State of Decay 3 looks like it'll dramatically expand on the Undead Labs formula, with a significantly more ambitious scope that could make it one of the best Xbox games ever.

I just hope that I get to play this game before I actually become a zombie. That being said, I also want Undead Labs to take its time to make this game as amazing as I know it can be.

It's been four years since Forza Horizon 5 launched, and given the pattern of its predecessors, fans were hopeful of having at least seen mention of the next instalment by now.

Ah, the Xbox Games Showcase! Surely that's as good a chance as any to show off Forza Horizon 6?

No. It was not. There is no Forza Horizon 6. At least, not in 2025, there isn't. But Microsoft Gaming's head honcho, Phil Spencer, teased that it could be on the slate for 2026.

"I'm excited to share that players will get to celebrate 25 years of Xbox with a new Fable, the Next Forza, Gears of War E-Day, and the return of a classic that's been with us since the beginning."

There's plenty to digest from that single quote, but specific to Forza, there are two important points. One, the last game was Forza Motorsport, so it would stand to reason the next would be in the Horizon series.

Second, Xbox's 25th anniversary is in 2026. That's next year.

The bad part, of course, is that it means another year of Forza Horizon 5 (not that we don't love playing it). But I'm also choosing to add extra anticipation, well aware that's the best way to be disappointed.

The 25th anniversary of Xbox is going to be a HUGE deal for Microsoft, and it stands to reason that it would want 2026 to be an absolutely bananas year for first-party games. Playground Games, of Forza Horizon fame, is also making Fable, so those folks are definitely going to be busy.

It's a shame fans don't have anything new to celebrate, but next year isn't that far away, right?

File this under S for "Shocking," but it turns out that Forza Horizon 5 has a Microsoft Account requirement on PlayStation 5.

A few weeks ago, we revealed that Forza Horizon 5 was set to be the next Xbox exclusive making the jump to PlayStation, joining Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Age of Empires, Sea of Thieves, and various others. I've detailed how going forward, Xbox console exclusives will be the exception rather than the rule, with even games like Halo and Gears of War set for a PS5 version in the future.

Xbox fans continue to debate what this means for Xbox console hardware (and I should have something on that next week ...), but how can Xbox sustain its hardware and its audience footprint for developers without its own exclusive games? Xbox lead Phil Spencer says he wants Xbox hardware to win on differentiation, with unique features, such as things like Xbox Game Pass and, doubtless, some form of Xbox AI integration next gen. Whether or not that strategy wins out remains to be seen, but one strategy that doubtless will win out is how Xbox is handling games like Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5.

As of writing, Forza Horizon 5 is one of the most pre-ordered games on PS5, as Sony fans line up to take the world's most popular and iconic racing franchise to the next level. Beyond the sheer masses of cash PlayStation fans are about to send to Microsoft, a potentially more intriguing long-term strategy is coalescing for Xbox here.

The Microsoft Account trojan horse

As spotted by our friends (except Nick) at XboxEra, Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 has an Xbox / Microsoft Account requirement. Microsoft's north star with its gaming operation is engagement above all right now, following Tencent's free-to-play heavy model. Forza Horizon 5 is, of course, not the first Xbox game on PlayStation to require a Microsoft Account. Sea of Thieves was one, and other titles like Minecraft Dungeons also lit up additional features by linking an Xbox account.

The thought process here is that, by simple virtue of having a Microsoft account, it should produce a halo effect over Microsoft's engagement goals. Simply having an account functions as a "foot in the door" to other Microsoft services, including Xbox and PC Game Pass, but even over to things like Microsoft Rewards, Bing, Edge, OneDrive, and more. You can expect Microsoft to wield its account requirement as a "trojan horse" of sorts in a bid to truly transform PlayStation into an Xbox with blue branding. The vast majority of users probably already have a Microsoft account anyway, given that Windows 10 and 11 don't exactly make it easy to use without having one.

"Do I need a Microsoft account to play Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5?" the official Forza Horizon 5 FAQ reads, "Yes," it answers. "In addition to a PSN account you’ll need to link to a Microsoft account in order to play Forza Horizon 5 on PS5. This process begins the first time you start up the game on your console." However, despite linking accounts, it seems you won't be able to access your save files from PC or Xbox on PlayStation. The goal here is new users, in essence, rather than simply giving existing users an additional place to play. Although it's plenty likely that Forza Horizon 6 could launch on PS5, Xbox, and Windows PC out of the gate complete with cross-progression.

What's also probably likely is how Microsoft expands its account profiling system across properties it purchased with Activision-Blizzard. It's not a stretch to imagine that, eventually, Battle.net accounts for WoW and Diablo, and Activision accounts for Call of Duty, will eventually merge into Microsoft accounts. Microsoft did the same with Minecraft a few years ago, merging Minecraft accounts more closely into the Microsoft ecosystem.

More accounts under one umbrella creates more opportunities to convert those players into users of other Microsoft services — which underpins Microsoft's high level strategy. Where all of this leaves Xbox's existing hardware platform, though, remains to be seen.

Forza Horizon 5 launches on PlayStation 5 on April 25, 2025 for $70. You can create a Microsoft account for free here, although existing Outlook.com accounts, Onedrive accounts, Office accounts, Windows accounts, or indeed, Xbox accounts, all count as a "Microsoft account" you can use for Forza.

Xbox's evolving multiplatform strategy just shifted again with the imminent arrival of Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5 and 5 Pro. Considering the Forza franchise has been an Xbox console exclusive since its inception in 2005, that's a big deal.

Honestly, I'm not here to complain about FH5 abandoning its Xbox exclusivity or even to open up that particular can of worms. Forza Horizon 5 is a mature, popular open-world racing game with a massive online community, and it can only benefit from an entirely new potential player base.

The problem is that Forza Horizon 5 is missing something that should be the standard for any true multiplatform game, especially when you're a publisher who has to prove itself, like Microsoft. FH5 doesn't support cross-progression of any kind on PlayStation.

Cross-play but no cross-save, what does that mean for FH5?

Through your Microsoft Account, Forza Horizon 5 does support online cross-play between Xbox and Windows PC via the Microsoft Store and Steam, and PS5 will be seamlessly added to the pool when the game launches there in April.

That means you can race your friends around Mexico regardless of where they play. That's how it should be, and most modern multiplayer games embrace that mentality without issue.

FH5 also supports cross-progression, too, but only with the Xbox Play Anywhere version that spans Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC via the Microsoft Store.

With Xbox cloud saves, you can bring all of your progress from device to device, so you can play wherever and however you want without worry. Unfortunately, Steam has already been left out of the conversation there, although Microsoft is starting to turn things around with games like Avowed.

If you play Forza Horizon 5 on Xbox and then buy a Steam Deck handheld for mobile gaming, you're out of luck. You've probably already guessed considering this article, you know, exists, but PlayStation players are also drawing the short straw here.

It doesn't matter how many hundreds of hours you've poured into FH5, how much money you've spent, or how large your car collection has become — if you also want to play on PS5, complete with the platform-specific enhancements and feature support, none of your progress will come with you.

Brand-new players need not apply, but multi-device gamers should beware

If you only game on PlayStation and you're new to Forza Horizon 5, this doesn't matter to you... At least right now. After all, you're starting from the beginning anyway.

If you do ever decide to purchase a gaming handheld or level up your setup with a powerful gaming PC, though, everything you've accomplished on PS5 will remain trapped on Sony's platform.

Those are the players that are being hurt by FH5 lacking cross-save support. I'm one of them; I mostly game on my Xbox Series X, but I also have a powerful desktop PC and an ASUS ROG Ally X gaming handheld.

I love the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative because it guarantees my library and all my save files will travel between those devices, so I can choose if I want the comfort of Xbox, the visual fidelity of desktop, or the portability of handheld without worrying about anything else.

There are many thousands of gamers who are in a similar boat as I, but you can swap out the Xbox for a PlayStation. If they've already fallen in love with Forza on other platforms, it makes total sense why they'd be interested in playing again on PS5 — especially if they enjoy hunting trophies.

It just won't work like that, though, even if the precedent has already been set.

Other multiplatform Xbox games already support cross-save

You may believe I'm being unreasonable in demanding a feature that isn't possible, but it is and Xbox has already proven it.

Both Grounded and Sea of Thieves fully support cross-progression across all platforms, and that means Xbox, Windows PC (even Steam), PS5, and even the Nintendo Switch in Grounded's case.

The foundation is there thanks to Microsoft's account system, and multiple developers have already proven it can be done. Why is Forza Horizon 5 different?

FH5 has a lot of DLC, isn't that why there's no cross-save support?

Forza Horizon 5 isn't just a game, there's also countless DLC add-ons, expansions, and car packs. It's a massive game, and aside from the Xbox Play Anywhere version on the Microsoft Store, your purchases don't sync, either.

What if someone owns the full FH5 collection on Windows PC, and then only buys the base game on PlayStation? How would cross-save work then? Simple: you keep your progress, stats, and existing cars, but lose access to any content or persistent bonuses you don't own on that platform.

For example, you'd still own all the vehicles you earned from playing Forza Horizon 5: Rally Adventure, but wouldn't be able to access the Rally Adventure map on PlayStation without buying the expansion. You'd still get the special VIP Membership cars, house, and cosmetics, but not the increased rewards or daily wheelspins.

I'm not asking for cross-purchases, as nice as that would be in an ideal world. Players should just be able to keep what they've earned, especially if they're willing to buy the game on multiple platforms just to play the way they want.

Rant aside, FH5 comes to PlayStation in a few weeks

I won't breakdown the whole ordeal because we already have a dedicated news article detailing Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation (including preorder information), but I'll provide the quick synopsis.

FH5 is now available to preorder on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, with three available editions. Those who preorder the Premium Edition will be able to play as early as Apr. 25, 2025, while the rest of us will have to wait until Apr. 29, 2025.

It's not a simple port, either, as FH5 will be optimized for the PlayStation platform. There will be two modes from which to choose, with "Performance" targeting 60 frames-per-second and "Quality" targeting 30 FPS.

Those with the latest and greatest PS5 Pro will be able to enjoy increased visual fidelity and even in-game ray tracing.

Alongside FH5's PlayStation debut, all platforms will get the Horizon Realms update, which does feel a bit final for this live service behemoth. New challenges, more ways to play, and even new cars to collect will all be a part of the update. On top of that, Nissan fans will have a fresh car pack DLC to purchase if they want.

Original article: A full month after developer Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios announced that its critically acclaimed open-world racer Forza Horizon 5 would be coming to PlayStation 5 this year, the studio has revealed its specific release date. Additionally, it's also gone over the free Horizon Realms update launching for everyone at the same time in more detail.

Forza Horizon 5 is officially scheduled to drive onto PS5 on April 29, 2025, with April 25 Early Access available to folks who preorder the more expensive $99.99 Premium Edition of the game. Preorders are available now on the PlayStation Store; you have the option between the $59.99 base game, the $79.99 Deluxe Edition that adds 42 cars to your garage from the Car Pass, or the Premium Edition that also includes access to the title's two DLC expansions and some additional benefits like a VIP membership.

Regardless of which version of Forza Horizon 5 you preorder on PS5, you'll get some cool preorder bonuses. Playground is throwing the 2021 Mercedes-AMG Mercedes-AMG ONE — the car on the game's cover — in with every early purchase, along with 5,000 Forzathon points (used for buying cars and cosmetic items) and five Backstage Passes you can spend on rare Backstage Shop cars.

Coinciding with Forza Horizon 5's PS5 arrival on April 25 is the launch of the Horizon Realms patch, a major update that will add a new Horizon Stadium Circuit track while also bringing back the following 11 fan-favorite locations from previous Evolving World releases:

• Stunt Park 
• Ice Rink 
• Oval Track 
• Summer Party 
• Neon Airstrip
• Día de Muertos 
• Winter Wonderland 
• Lunar Drift Arena 
• Retrowave Highway 
• Cars and Coffee 
• Stadium Maze

You'll be able to earn new accolades as you race through all of these iconic vehicular playgrounds, and unlock four new reward cars coming to the colossal Forza Horizon 5 car list when you do: the 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto, the 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, the 2018 Lotus Exige Cup 430, and the 2022 Hennessey Mammoth 6x6.

Throughout all of Horizon Realms, you'll have the option to play in Skill Mode or Free Mode. The former is more competitively focused and features Skill Score leaderboards and earnable player badges, while the latter is more casual and lets you explore each returning location with friends while earning older player badges and Forzathon points. For full details from Playground, check out its blog post.

Playground Games has also announced a Nissan Retro Rides Car Pack DLC that'll be separate from Horizon Realms. It's coming at the same time as the update and the PS5 release, and will include four classic Nissan cars for $4.99: the 1989 Nissan Pao, 1991 Nissan Figaro, 1989 Nissan Scargo, and the 1987 Nissan Be-1. Notably, you'll automatically get this pack if you've purchased the Ultimate Car Pack Collection.

Forza Horizon 5 is finishing strong

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Forza Horizon 5 has been a massive success for Microsoft and Xbox, but with 2021 game now several years old and Playground Games undoubtedly working on a full-fledged sequel, it seems that support for the title is now winding down. Still, the popular open-world racer is enjoying a strong finish.

Horizon Realms and its collection of returning locales is a major celebration of Forza Horizon 5 and the series as a whole, while the game's imminent arrival on PS5 means that countless gamers will have a chance to enjoy one of the best Xbox games and best PC games made this decade.

Some will criticize Microsoft for porting another Xbox exclusive to PlayStation here, but given that the firm wants to make Xbox a more profitable business, bringing a game that's likely not selling much on Xbox consoles anymore to a new market makes sense.

If you've never played Forza Horizon 5 before, this upcoming PS5 launch is one way you now can; alternatively, you can also access it through Xbox Game Pass on Xbox, PC, and mobile (with Ultimate and Xbox Cloud Gaming). Notably, the base version of the game on Xbox and PC is just $36.69 at CDKeys, which is an excellent deal given its usual $59.99 MSRP.

The next Xbox game being ported over to PlayStation 5 is Playground Games' Forza Horizon 5, the Xbox teams revealed on Thursday.

Over the past year, Microsoft has made no secret of its plan to begin launching more and more games on the PlayStation ecosystem. Sea of Thieves was among the first, then Indiana Jones was announced, and now, Microsoft is going even further.

Forza Horizon 5 is one of Microsoft's most successful games in history, serving tens of millions of players. The flagship racing game is the gold standard for the genre, and is a multi-award winner. It's also a huge money maker for Microsoft, owing to its live service nature, on-going updates, and in-app purchases. Forza Horizon 5 first launched back on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and Windows PC in November 21. The game was a roaring success, rapidly reaching over 20 million players and, like its predecessors, achieving critical acclaim.

Shared with us via sources initially, and then confirmed by Microsoft on Forza Horizon 5's website, developer Playground Games discussed its partnership with Panic Button, and a new update coming dubbed "Realms."

"The PlayStation 5 version of Forza Horizon 5, developed by Panic Button Studios in partnership with Turn 10 Studios and Playground Games, will have the same content as the Xbox and PC releases of the game. Previously released Car Packs, as well as the Hot Wheels and Rally Adventure expansions, will also be available for purchase.

We are excited to see the Forza Horizon 5 community grow with new players on PS5, and we can't wait to see the creativity and skill these new creators, builders, and racers will bring to our vibrant community.

In addition to bringing Forza Horizon 5 to PS5, we’re working on a special new free content update for all platforms, Horizon Realms. Realms will give players the chance to explore a curated collection of some of the community’s favorite previously released Evolving Worlds, alongside some other surprises. Stay tuned to our channels for more details soon."

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Only yesterday, Microsoft talked to investors about the desire to turn Xbox into a business with higher profit margins, and one way to do that is to sell games. Forza Horizon 5 has likely done all it can do on Xbox Series X|S and PC at this point, so porting it to PlayStation is a sure-fire way to guarantee additional revenue and prestige for the franchise. What is less clear is how the degraded status of "Xbox console exclusives," particularly among its most iconic games, will impact hardware sales going forward. Already, Microsoft has seen decline after decline quarter over quarter with Xbox Series X|S hardware sales, and reducing the reasons to buy a console could potentially only further exacerbate that situation.

Regardless, Microsoft says it's all-in on next-gen Xbox console hardware, though, with Xbox CEO Phil Spencer describing a goal to win on hardware differentiation, rather than exclusive games.

Expect Xbox to expand more games across more platforms

While Xbox has technically been a third-party publisher to some extent since the Microsoft bought Minecraft developer Mojang in 2014, the company's third-party publishing plans have ramped up significantly in the past year. As noted, in 2024, Microsoft brought four previously console-exclusive Xbox games to PlayStation and Nintendo, including Rare's massive pirate simulator Sea of Thieves. The company also confirmed plans to bring Bethesda Softworks and Machine Games' Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to PlayStation 5 in 2025, a few months after its initial launch on Xbox and PC. We've also reported via our own sources that Xbox icon itself, Halo, is gearing up for a PlayStation debut. Forza is one of the "big three" iconic Xbox franchises, including Gears of War and Halo. With Forza heading across, it should shed all doubts that Xbox truly does have no red lines over what games will eventually move away from Xbox towards PlayStation.

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Looking ahead, several (but not all) of the upcoming games in the Xbox first-party roster are planned to launch across PlayStation 5, including DOOM: The Dark Ages, The Outer Worlds 2, and Ninja Gaiden 4.

Xbox fans stand to benefit from Xbox Game Pass, however, which will save them potentially hundreds of dollars over time if they plan to play any game from the Xbox first party roster. Games like Avowed (launching in February), Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, State of Decay 3, and many more as-of-yet unannounced games will also hit Xbox Game Pass day and date — which remains best on Xbox console hardware arguably.

Xbox reportedly became the world's biggest publisher as of last month, so the strategy is doubtless paying dividends for shareholders. Whether or not it keeps Xbox's digital software store viable long term remains to be seen. What is confirmed is that Forza Horizon 5 is a certified banger, and it'll most likely find a huge new audience on the massive PlayStation ecosystem.

Forza Horizon 5 closed out the year with a double update, giving the team some time to return and prepare for the new year with more content. Well, it seems the plan may not be entirely what the community expected, as Forza Horizon 5's first update of 2025 may signal a shift in direction for the popular, long-running open-world racing game.

Forza Horizon 5's Midnight Muscle update brings back fan-favorite neon-lit content from a past Festival Playlist alongside two new cars, but it also debuts a different approach to future Festival Playlists. Now, players will vote on one of two past Festival Playlists to replay each month, suggesting that FH5 support is finally winding down as Playground Games turns to what's next. Of course, the studio has stated that there's still more content coming to Forza Horizon 5 in the future, so it's not totally done.

Quite possible the final full update for Forza Horizon 5

If you're expecting an ambitious changelog packed with new features, quality-of-life improvements, and more additions to the ridiculously large Forza Horizon 5 car list, I'm afraid the Midnight Muscle update is destined to disappoint you.

In fact, there's honestly not enough here to even do the bulleted list I usually do, so I'll skip that. First, the Midnight Muscle Festival Playlist brings back the extended night and neon-lit Evolving World features we saw in previous FH5 updates, with no new features to call its own. You're also looking at only two new vehicles to collect in the powerful 1995 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R and 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock.

Outside of that, Playground Games has added two new features, with the latter clearly marking a downturn in official support for FH5 moving forward. Firstly, players will now be able to choose their own start screen cinematic from past events and Forza Horizon titles, with a shuffle option for those who'd rather be surprised each time they start the game. Secondly, future Festival Playlists won't come as surprises from Playground — instead, the community will now vote on one of two past Festival Playlists to return the following month.

The first vote will be between the Forza Horizon 5 High Performance and Forza Horizon 5 Italian Automotive updates, with voting opening in week 1 of Midnight Muscle and closing in week 4 (and the process will repeat each month). Playground will tweak each Festival Playlist as needed to reflect how the game has evolved over its life, but the intent behind this feature is obvious; Forza Horizon 5 support is winding down.

You can read more about the Forza Horizon 5 "Midnight Muscle" update on Forza.net, which arrives on Jan. 28 (with the Festival Playlist kicking off on Jan. 30).

It's not completely over yet

To be clear, Playground Games does state that "there's still more content coming to Forza Horizon 5," but it's not immediately clear what that'll look like. All we can say for certain is, with the community now voting each month for a past Festival Playlist to return (you can read more about this feature on Forza.net), FH5 isn't going to get the same monthly updates it has since its launch over three years ago.

Forza Horizon 5 may not get any new cars or features, instead treading down memory lane until it wanders so far into the past that only a brand-new Forza Horizon game can bring us back. It had to happen immediately, though, as Playground Games is undoubtedly working on a mysterious sequel powered by the same engine underneath Forza Motorsport (2023). Hopefully, we'll hear more about those plans later this year.

In case you missed it, Forza Horizon 4 also ended an era of its own, with the title becoming permanently delisted from digital storefronts as its licenses expired. It's probably safe to say that Forza Horizon 5 is still many years away from this happening, even if it won't enjoy the same healthy update cycle anymore.

Last week I did something a bit strange. I purchased an Xbox game despite the fact that I don't have an Xbox console. I don't have a gaming PC either, so it's not like I was looking to take advantage of Xbox Play Anywhere. The reason I bought Forza Horizon 4 is because it was scheduled to be delisted from digital storefronts due to licensing agreements. Unfortunately, the day has come and gone, so you can no longer buy Forza Horizon 4 through digital storefronts. You can, however, purchase digital codes and activate them.

Should you buy Forza Horizon 4 in 2024 and beyond?

If you're an avid gamer or are familiar with the Forza franchise, all of this may not be surprising or confusing. Forza Horizon 4 is not the first game from the series to be delisted and it won't be the last, but I admit I was a bit caught off guard by the game going away. Our Zachary Boddy flagged up the delisting date, so I grabbed Forza Horizon 4 Ultimate Edition at a discount through the Microsoft Store so I have the game in my library. I plan to get an Xbox console in the future, so Forza Horizon 4 will be waiting for me when that day comes.

You can no longer purchase Forza Horizon 4 through the Microsoft Store, but you can purchase the game. You just need to buy a digital code (or find a physical copy) rather than buy the title through a digital storefront. Right now, Amazon still has stock of Forza Horizon 4 digital codes. The Standard ($9.99), Deluxe ($14.99), and Ultimate ($19.99) editions are all available at the time of publication.

While digital codes for Forza Horizon 4 will continue to work, it's not clear how many of the codes are left. Once a retailer runs out of stock, it's unlikely they will get any more, though I suppose Amazon could buy more from a different retailer. My main point is that access to Forza Horizon 4 is becoming increasingly limited.

Forza Horizon 4 earned praise when it launched and has since gotten better thanks to the addition of the LEGO Speed Champions experience, the Fortune Island DLC, a pack of Hot Wheels cars, and several car packs.

Since Forza Horizon 5 is available and earned a perfect score in our review, you may be tempted to think it's not worth grabbing Forza Horizon 4. There was a jump in graphics and in some other areas between Forza Horizon 4 and Forza Horizon 5, but the former is still an excellent game. Forza Horizon titles do an great job of immersing you into the world's they're based on, such as Forza Horizon 4 being based on the UK and Forza Horizon 5 being based on Mexico. Limiting yourself to just Forza Horizon 5 would be like saying it's only worth taking a vacation to one country.

What you need to know

• The end of 2024 is rapidly approaching, but Forza Horizon 5 still isn't slowing down.
• Today, Playground Games released the final update of the year for FH5, and it's actually a two-in-one.
• For December, Holiday Mix-Ups will bring two wintery stadiums and five new cars to collect.
• In January, players will get another new car, a fresh stunt park, and more ways to build in EventLab.

It has now been over three years since Forza Horizon 5 was released across Xbox and PC, and it doesn't seem like the game is going to stop getting new content and features any time soon. As we enter the final month of 2024, Playground Games has released the last update of the year for Forza Horizon 5. Horizon Holiday Mix-Up is now available to download on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC.

This isn't quite like normal content updates, though, because the Forza developers deserve their own break over the holidays just like the rest of us. So, Holiday Mix-Up is actually two updates in one, spanning all of December and January. The first half focuses on holiday festivities and some exciting new cars, while the more modest "Extreme Horizon" half in January will bring one new car and some other interesting features.

While I'm here, I also want to remind all of you that Forza Horizon 4 goes end-of-life on Dec. 15, 2024, meaning you have less than two weeks to buy the game and all its DLC before they permanently disappear from digital storefronts. One of the best ways to do that is to pick up Forza Horizon 4 Ultimate Edition (Xbox & PC) for $19.99 at Amazon, which includes a huge amount of content.

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A total of six new cars across two months of wintery fun

With December being dedicated to "Horizon Holiday Mix-Up" and January to "Extreme Horizon," you'd expect a ton of new content — but this list isn't going to be terribly long.

• Five new cars with Horizon Holiday Mix-Up. First, Forza Horizon 5 is getting five new cars in December, with four being Festival Playlist reward cars and the fifth being a reward for completing a limited-time event between Dec. 5-12.
  • 2006 Mercedes-Benz E 55 AMG Wagon
  • 2014 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon
  • 2021 Bentley Flying Spur
  • 2024 Nissan Z Nismo
  • 2022 BMW M5 CS
• One more car with Extreme Horizon. In January, FH5 players will be able to collect one more new car as part of the Festival Playlist.
  • 1965 DeBerti Design Chevrolet C10 "Slayer"
• A whole lot of Stadium makeovers. During December, the Horizon Stadium will alternate between two festive themes, with the first and third weeks being the Winter Wonderland Stadium and the second and fourth weeks being the popular Ice Rink. In January, players will get to explore the Stunt Park once again.
• More EventLab content. Creators rejoice, the EventLab is getting four new build stubs permanently added to the Forza Horizon 5 map with the arrival of Extreme Horizon, giving you more locations to build your masterpieces.

Playground Games also teased Feb. 2025's content update, Midnight Muscle, which will bring back the extended nighttime, add new reward cars and events, and let players customize their start screen experience.

I'll never say no to more themed Festival Playlists and new cars, but Holiday Mix-Up does feel pretty tame for being a dual update. I hope that the Playground Games team gets a ton of rest through the holidays and kicks it into high gear for 2025, as Forza Horizon 5 updates have felt pretty familiar from month to month lately (new cars, new Festival Playlist, new Stadium, new EventLab props). Although, I'll admit getting some Halo content in FH5 was pretty cool.

Whatever happens next year, the Forza Horizon 5 car list is already easily one of the most impressive vehicle rosters of any racing game you can play today (or have ever been able to play, honestly), and it does seem like it will continue to get bigger in the future. In the meantime, Forza Horizon 5: Horizon Holiday Mix-Up is now available to download for all players, and you can check out the full changelog at Forza.net.

Also, here's your final reminder that Forza Horizon 4 is set to be permanently delisted from digital storefronts on Dec. 15, 2024, and that includes being removed from Xbox Game Pass. If you want to keep the game to play forever, you'll want to buy it before then, like getting Forza Horizon 4 Ultimate Edition (Xbox & PC) for $19.99 at Amazon.

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Forza Horizon 5 took millions of racers to the diverse Mexican landscape, and it enjoys monthly content updates adding new cars, races, and features. Three years after its release, and FH5 is still going strong. Many fondly remember the game that came before, though, and for that title the future isn't looking as positive. Months after it was announced, Forza Horizon 4's end-of-life date is mere days away.

Released in Oct. 2018, Forza Horizon 4 brought the legendary open-world arcade racing series to the United Kingdom for the first time. FH4 was a huge success for Xbox and Playground Games, and performed well during its three-year tenure before Forza Horizon 5 arrived. Now, another three years later, and FH4 is set to be permanently delisted from all digital storefronts on Dec. 15, 2024, meaning right now is your last chance to buy the game and add it to your library forever.

And I do mean right now — you can buy Forza Horizon 4 Ultimate Edition (Xbox & PC) for $19.99 at Amazon, an 80% discount that includes the base game, its two DLC expansions, and a ton of DLC cars and perks, but that sale ends on Dec. 12, 2024, according to Xbox.

The end of an era, and signs of things to come

Forza Horizon 4 was released on Oct. 2, 2018 for Xbox One and Windows PC, and enjoyed regular content updates and car additions until July 2021. Credit where credit is due, that's already a much longer life span than the three Forza Horizons that came before it, and FH4 has continued to be available and playable for more than three years since. Its delisting means the close of an era, but it's not all bad news.

Racing games like Forza are often subject to eventual delistings because it costs a lot of money to license the car brands and official music that go into these games. For most of Forza Horizon and Forza Motorsport, that meant shutting down four years after release, with content updates ending two years after release (to make way for the next entry).

Forza Horizon 4 enjoyed updates for an additional year and has been available to purchase for three more on top of that, though, which bodes well for Forza Horizon 5 — a game that shows zero signs of slowing down over three years after it released in 2021. There's no information on when FH5 will eventually be delisted (as it surely must), but it's still getting new cars (and even new music) every month.

As for Forza Horizon 4, what exactly does "end-of-life" mean? Well, Xbox Game Studios and Playground Games will permanently delist FH4 from all digital storefronts, including the Microsoft Store and Steam, and the game will be completely removed from Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and other subscriptions it may be a part of. All Forza Horizon 4 DLC will also be delisted.

This does not mean Forza Horizon 4 will become unplayable. Those with physical copies or who already own the digital game will be able to download and play FH4 like normal and into perpetuity, with access to all their content. Basically, you need to own the game before it's delisted on Dec. 15, 2024, or you won't be able to play it (unless you buy a digital code or physical copy from third-party retailers).

That gives you two weeks! This is the time to pick up the base game, expansions, car pass, and any other DLC you were missing before Forza Horizon 4 disappears. A great place to start is buying Forza Horizon 4 Ultimate Edition for $19.99 at Amazon, which includes most of the game's content and DLC.

What you need to know

• The next Forza Horizon 5 update may be called "Track Day," but there's an awful lot of Halo going on here.
• Playground Games has detailed what's coming in this update, and it includes the biggest single drop of new EventLab props in FH5 history.
• Players will be able to design their own Halo themed racetracks and maps, and three Halo songs are also joining the soundtrack.
• If you need to know more than just "there's Halo now," this update also drops four modern Porsches into the Festival Playlist.

I suppose it was too much to ask for Playground Games to reveal the spooky-themed Forza Horizon 5 update one day after Halloween already ended, but I'll take this. Forza Horizon 5: Track Day is official and starting next week, and this update may be the most spartan yet. No, I don't mean basic and simple — I mean actual Spartans.

The next Forza Horizon 5 update boasts the largest single EventLab prop drop in the game's history, and it's all Halo. Of course, a new Festival Playlist is also arriving with four new reward cards (spoiler, they're all modern Porsches), and the Oval Track is returning to the Stadium once again. Let's dive into it all, shall we?

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Did you ever want to race a Porsche down a Forerunner highway? Now you can.

I won't waste any more of your time. Here's everything coming in the Forza Horizon 5: Track Day update next week.

• Four new cars. The Festival Playlist is securing four new reward cars this update, and they all hail from the same manufacturer. There's no Car Pack DLC this time, but the community should be pretty happy with these additions.
  • 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 R
  • 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
  • 2023 Porsche 911 Rallye
  • 2023 Porsche 911 Turbo S
• Brand-new Halo props. The Xbox Game Studios family has come together again with another great collaboration. This time around, Playground Games has added the largest-ever EventLab prop pack to Forza Horizon 5, and every single prop is Halo-themed. There are 71 Halo props in total, letting players design their very own Halo racetracks and maps.
• A few new songs. The Halo fun doesn't end there. The Forza Horizon 5 soundtrack is securing three official Halo songs with Halo Theme Gungnir Mix (feat. Steve Vai), Installation 04, and The Trails.
• The return of the Oval Track. The Stadium is enjoying another Evolving World makeover, and this time the popular Oval Track is returning for another round of high-octane asphalt racing.
• A new Festival Playlist. As always, Forza Horizon 5: Track Day also features a new, themed Festival Playlist with a ton of rewards, including all four of the Porsches added in this update.

We're not getting a massive pile of new vehicles to add to our garage, but that's not a bad list for an update.

It'll be really interesting to see what the many talented FH5 community designers are able to accomplish with all the new Halo props. The EventLab is about to be filled with unique new racetracks and maps that we've never seen in Forza before, and it should be a lot of fun.

While the arriving cars only number four in total, they're all brand-new Porsches. That should make a lot of FH5 players happy, who are often asking for more modern cars, and Porsche has been a long-time staple of the Forza franchise. All-in-all, the Forza Horizon 5: Track Day update does seem pretty solid, and players will still be able to take advantage of the Horizon Backstage feature added in the last FH5 update.

Forza Horizon 5: Track Day is likely dropping on Tuesday, Nov. 5 for Xbox and Windows PC, but the actual Festival Playlist won't kick off until that Thursday.

What you need to know

• Playground Games has revealed the 'Back to the 90s' update for Forza Horizon 5.
• This update features four classics from the 90s, but also a new feature for car collectors.
• Horizon Backstage is returning, allowing you to add previous exclusive Festival Playlist reward cars to your garage.
• There are also plenty of fixes and some new achievements for the Hide and Seek game mode.

Playground Games has announced the plan for 2024's spooky season, and it's sadly not a horror-themed update for Forza Horizon 5 (maybe we'll see it at the end of the month). Still, we do have news on what the next release will be for FHD, and it's dubbed 'Back to the 90s.' Yup, it's another nostalgia-filled update, but how exciting this release is will depend on who you ask.

The update news comes courtesy of the latest Forza Let's Go! stream from Playground Games, and lets us know that a variety of fixes and improvements, four new 90s-era cars, and a returning feature that car collectors will love are all heading to Forza Horizon 5 across Xbox and PC in the near future.

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A way to catch up on what you missed

Let's skip the pleasantries and get straight to the meat of today's announcement. Here's what's coming in the Forza Horizon 5 'Back to the 90s' update.

• Four new reward cars. As always, four new cars are joining the Forza Horizon 5 car list, and they all share a common theme. Can you guess what it is?
  • 1990 Aston Martin Lagonda
  • 1996 Subaru SVX
  • 1997 Toyota Soarer 2.5 GT-T
  • 1998 Mitsubishi FTO GP Version R
• Horizon Backstage. A fan-favorite feature is also returning with Horizon Backstage coming to Forza Horizon 5. This feature will allow players to claim previous Festival Playlist exclusive reward cars they missed and add them to their collection.
  • The Horizon Backstage rotates on a weekly basis, normally showcasing two cars
  • The community will vote on one of two pairs each week to be featured
  • At first, though, six cars will be available through the Horizon Backstage shop
  • Players will need Backstage Passes, a new in-game currency, to purchase these cars
  • One Backstage Pass will be offered as a Seasonal Reward each week, and players can also purchase one other Pass for 1,000 Forzathon Points each week
• New achievements. Forza Horizon 5 recently got a Hide and Seek mode, and in addition to a bevy of fixes and other changes Playground Games is adding five new achievements (worth a combined 130 Gamerscore) related to the game mode.
• A new Festival Playlist and more. The Festival Playlist is, of course, getting a makeover with the Back to the 90s update, with a ton of themed challenges, events, and races.
  • Players will also be able to hunt down the new VHS Collectible, unlock the 90s Cosmetic Outfit, and earn up to three new Badges

That's it! The Back to the 90s update joins the more modest releases we've seen for Forza Horizon 5 recently, and there's no new Car Pack DLC to add even more vehicles to the car list. Hopefully, we'll see some more exciting updates for FH5 in the future, but this will still be a great update moving forward for those eager to fill out their collection with all the cars they missed.

It also gives the community some more control over the Festival Playlist Seasonal reward cars, since the one that was normally a "random" car will now be a Backstage Pass for the cars the community votes on. I'm glad there are now achievements for the Hide and Seek mode, too, as it felt odd when none were added alongside the new game mode. In any case, the Forza Horizon 5 'Back to the 90s' update will be dropping soon, and its Festival Playlist will be kicking off soon after.

If you're curious what's coming next, Playground Games teased the 'Horizon Track Day' update coming next month, which will feature new cars, cosmetics, collectibles, and EventLab props.