The most anticipated racing game of 2026 has officially come out. Playground Games has officially released the highly anticipated 6th edition of the Forza Horizon series. This time, it is set in Japan, and features many new cars, a brand new map, a revamped progression system, and more that tie the full horizon experience with the extensive car culture of Japan. I am going to examine this soon-to-be classic and share my experience and initial thoughts playing the game on my Xbox Series S.
The game, as I said above, takes place in Japan, a highly requested location for Forza Horizon games. The story revolves around you, a new driver in Japan, joining the Horizon Festival, a fictional car festival that celebrates everything car. You are helped by Jordan and Mei in your journey. You advance in the festival through a wristband system, going from the green rookie wristband all the way up to a gold legend wristband. You also advance in the Discover Japan program and gain stamps, which open up even more opportunities and rewards!
My favorite part of this game is the special events that occur throughout. To advance in the wristband system, you play a Horizon Rush event, where you play certain events to advance your wristband. Some include a race through the docks, a drive to the festival, and RACING A GOSHDARN MECH. It is pretty fun, plus the game adds in-game cutscenes to help move the game along.
The driving mechanics in this game are also top-tier. Driving around in these games has always felt good, but the advanced graphics and flow of the physics engine make it 100x better. The regions are also very diverse and are full of specific foliage and architecture, from shrines to towers to sakura trees; this game has it all.
Obviously, Forza Horizon 6 is full of cars and their culture. The car roster has over 600 vehicles, with more to be added soon. The cars can also be tuned and modded, with large changes like engine swaps and more specific things like tire pressure can be modified to your liking. Also, the map is full of places to have car meets, where some are based on real life, like Daikoku Parking Area, and are a great place to meet new people and show off your cars!
Another thing I want to add is the sheer size of the map. It spans from Tokyo City to the mountains, covering an insanely large distance. From what I could find while playing, the distance of the whole map is about 21 miles from the northernmost point to the southernmost one. This allows for a lot of space to explore and race across the different regions on the map. Lastly, one super small nitpick I have about the game is the overall decrease in the number of event storylines. In comparison to FH5, there were a lot more of these stories that contained a bit more depth and variety from the norm of racing and PR stunts. But the mass of other content makes up for it.
Overall, Forza Horizon 6 is one of the best games in the series, and it plays like an absolute charm. The expansive map and exponentially improved progression add to the long-awaited Japanese setting. It is safe to say for me that it was worth the 5-year wait for the next Forza Horizon game. I would give it 4.99/5 stars, as that is how much I feel the hype delivers. It is sure to be a mainstay in my gaming rotation for at least a long while.
