Racing fans finally got what they’ve been asking for, as Forza Horizon 6 officially drops in 2026 and takes the series to Japan. The announcement came during Microsoft’s Tokyo Game Show stream with a trailer that hits every stop on the Horizon Festival’s wild journey.
Japan has been at the top of fan’s lists for years since the first Horizon game carved out its slice of Colorado in 2012. Playground Games chose this detination because the country fits the series like a well-worn glove. Cars are a big part of Japanese life, from tiny kei cars zipping through narrow streets to the birthplace of drifting in mountain passes. Music pulses through every district, fashion changes with the seasons. Art director Don Arceta put it simply in a chat with Xbox Wire: the team waited until their tools could handle the details right. Experience from Forza Horizon 5’s Hot Wheels expansion even shaped Tokyo’s elevated highways, turning real-world sprawl into something drivable and alive.
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The Playground team flew to Japan to do fieldwork and immerse themselves in the culture. Cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita arrived early and influenced decisions down to the hum of a street at sunset or the chime of a train station cutting through traffic. One team member recorded it during their first days in Tokyo: all that structure and yet somehow quiet. Those moments will resonate throughout the game, from how a neighborhood falls into twilight to the colors on shop signs that hint at what’s inside. Yamashita’s goal is clear: guests should feel like they just stepped off a plane for the first time.
Forza Horizon 6’s Japan map doesn’t match the country’s layout exactly. These games always swap areas to keep the driving interesting but the essence is the same. Tokyo City takes center stage, a maze of neon towers and layered streets that Arceta calls one of their most complex creations to date. When you venture out you’ll see rural areas with quiet settlements giving way to hazy mountains. Mount Fuji is in the trailer but there’s more: passes for cutting turns and coastal roads that hug the sea. The variety draws you in, each corner presents something new. A shrine behind a workshop, an arcade next to a bamboo forest. Exploration here won’t feel like a checklist. It’ll take you deeper, one drift at a time.
Cars are the stars of the show in Horizon and Japan is the treasure trove. Expect the usual suspects but with a focus on the local scene. Kei cars, those tiny marvels with a cult following, will weave through urban chaos. Precision racing tracks require perfect lines, while drifting hotspots are nerve-wracking. Customization is everywhere—owners here treat their cars as an extension of themselves, tweaking every panel and coil. Yamashita nailed it: the culture welcomes newbies and pros, so you can ease in or dive right into the most insane creations. No cars have been revealed yet but the teasers alone are enough to make you want to go to the garage.
Seasons have been in Horizon since the 4th game and they return with a vengeance. Japan’s changes hit hard—spring blossoms, winter snow on the peaks, steamy summers with cicada cries. In Forza Horizon 6, those changes go beyond just looks. They affect how the ground grips your tyres, how crowds gather at festivals and even the sounds in the air. Wind chimes in a warm breeze, leaves crunch under fall wheels. Arceta and the team have woven in cultural elements so sakura season is more than just pink trees.
This is the longest delay yet—5 years since Mexico in Forza Horizon 5. Playground is also working on a relaunch of Fable which will be out next year. But the wait has been hungry. Horizon 5’s PS5 version broke sales records this year so the game clearly crosses borders. Forza Horizon 6 will be available on Xbox Series X|S and PC on day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. PS5 will follow later with Playground and Turn 10 Studios working together. Add it to your wishlist on Microsoft Store or Steam to get every update. More details are expected early next year direct from the source.
