Forza Horizon 6 builds hype with new features, but concerns grow as its upgrade path dampens excitement among longtime series fans.

The game features eight player houses across Japan that serve as fast-travel points. And new to the game series is The Estate, a piece of land players can acquire and build on. Inspired by Japanese car culture, Forza Horizon 6 will add Car Meets that'll serve as social spaces for players.

At the first Xbox Developer Direct in 2026, Playground Games revealed the first details about Forza Horizon 6, including its release date.

Your journey in FH6 starts out as a mere tourist, and you'll have to compete in the Horizon Qualifiers to start out. Then, Playground is bringing back the 'Wristband' progression system from the very first Forza Horizon game, where you'll "rise through the ranks" and "complete races and events in faster and more exciting cars" as you progress.

The Japan-set Forza Horizon 6 officially locks down a release date, with Playground Games sharing it alongside a proper gameplay reveal.

The new grand tourer stars opposite the latest Land Cruiser.

Yes, pre-orders for Forza Horizon 6 are now open on Xbox and PC. PC players can purchase all three versions of the game directly from Steam. Both Xbox and PC players can also purchase the game from the Xbox store, too, with different pages for the Standard, Deluxe and Premium Editions.

Forza Horizon 6 made a big splash at last night's Xbox Developer Direct, with an impressive showing that finally gives us a glimpse at Playground's vision for open-world Japanese racing. It's launching soon too — with a May release date on Xbox — but folks are starting to spot that the game's DLC is looking rather expensive this time around.

Playground Games confirmed that Forza Horizon 6 will launch on Xbox and PC May 19, 2026. Those who pre-order the Premium Edition will get access four days early. While there is currently no precise PlayStation 5 release date, FH6 is said to arrive "later in 2026" and can be added to PlayStation Store wishlists now.

Forza Horizon fans have been waiting for the series to go to Japan all along, and now, it's happening with a seemingly proper effort from Playground Games.

Forza Horizon 6 launches for PC and Xbox Series X|S on May 19 and it'll be coming to PS5 at a later date. Before it launches, you can also check out the revival of the racing game series Screamer in March, for an even more overt tribute to anime.