“Playground does it again:” Our Forza Horizon 6 review roundup points to a major win for the legacy racing franchise

Forza Horizon 6 is finally here, or well, the reviews are anyway. The game itself launches tomorrow, May 15, 2026, for those who purchased early access, while everyone else can jump in on May 19, 2026.

It’s fair to say that Forza Horizon 6 is a hotly anticipated game. After leaking early just a few days ago, which led to users who accessed the game ahead of launch reportedly receiving 8,000-years bans, we now know that maybe risking it all was worth it, as the game has scored quite well across the board.

As of writing, the game currently sits at 90 on Metacritic, and over here at Windows Central, my colleague Michael Hoglund reviewed the game, giving it a 90, stating:

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“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. 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.”

Across reviews, there’s a pretty consistent message: Forza Horizon 6 is a fantastic game. I’d like to say I’m surprised, but quite frankly, I’m not. Still, I’ll show you some scores from elsewhere to help you make up your mind if you’re still on the fence:

• Insider Gaming: 100, “Banksy-level vistas of Japan are breathtaking”
• IGN: 100, "full of dense, authentic details and stunning driving roads"
• Game Informer: 93, “Forza Horizon 6 impresses at each turn”
• DayOne: 90, “Forza Horizon 6 is the best the franchise has ever been”
• EuroGamer: 100, “Playground Games does it again”
• DualShockers: 95, "one of the best racing experiences you’ll ever have"
• Gamesreactor UK: 70, “Horizon 6 disappointed me”

Reviews are also currently fairly consistent across both Xbox Series and PC, both maintaining around a 90 as of writing.

I’ll also jump into some positives and negatives to give you an even better idea of what you’re in for, starting off the positives:

• Amazing recreation of Japan
• Great performance and visuals
• Improved progression whilst being fun and approachable
• A lot of content to enjoy

Okay, now over to the negatives:

• Feels very similar to past games in the franchise
• Some reviewers disliked the progression
• Some activities and events lacked variety
• The game can start to feel repetitive after awhile

Overall, Forza Horizon 6 is shaping up to be one of the best entries in the series, with many reviews praising the game for its long-requested setting, Japan, which offers a vibrant and immersive playground to drive around in with enough content to keep players busy for hours.

However, while most reviews agree that the setting is fantastic, some critics feel the game is too familiar to previous entries and believe the formula can start to feel stale after a while.

I’ve actually been wanting to jump back into a Forza game for the longest time. I don’t think I’ve properly played one since Forza Horizon 3 maybe way back in the day, so I’ll definitely be checking this one out when it releases, but how about you?

Will you be getting Forza Horizon 6 through Game Pass, buying the game outright, getting early access, or perhaps skipping the game entirely?

Let me know in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll below:

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