Forza Horizon 6 launches, 6 million players in week

The latest installment in the popular open-world racing series, Forza Horizon 6, launched worldwide on May 19, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5. The game is set in Japan, featuring over 550 real-world cars and what developers describe as the series' largest and most dense map to date, encompassing Tokyo cityscapes, mountain passes, and rural landscapes.

Players begin as a tourist and work to qualify for the Horizon Festival, progressing through wristband ranks to become a Horizon Legend. This status grants access to a new exclusive area called Legend Island. The game also introduces player estates, customizable homes and garages, and an upgraded event creation tool called CoLab with multiplayer support.

The game achieved significant player engagement shortly after release. Developers announced that the title surpassed six million players within one week, a figure that includes players across all platforms and services, including Xbox Game Pass. On Steam, the game reached a peak concurrent player count of over 284,000 shortly after launch. According to Xbox's CEO, the game had the biggest early access launch in the franchise's history.