Forza Horizon 6: Is It The Definitive Racing Game?

Forza Horizon 6 launched May 18, 2026 and immediately became the racing game of the year. A 91 Metascore on Xbox Series X/S. A 90 on PC. OpenCritic reports 100% of critics recommend it. IGN gave it a 10. Giant Bomb gave it a 5/5. Video Games Chronicle gave it a 5/5. Eurogamer gave it a 5/5. This is not a divisive game. This is a consensus masterpiece in a genre that rarely gets one.

And it's not only on Xbox and PS5, it's also on Steam with no compromises. 71,557 Steam reviews at 84% positive. Over 550 cars. The largest map in franchise history. Tokyo rendered as the most complex urban space ever drivable in a Forza game. Forza Horizon 6 is the rare AAA release that delivers on every promise.

What It Is

Forza Horizon 6 is an open-world racing game set in Japan, the most-requested setting in franchise history. You start as a tourist and work your way up through the Horizon Festival by earning wristbands, a progression system that returns from the original Forza Horizon. Complete races, events, and stunts. Unlock faster cars. Climb the ranks. Reach the gold wristband and you gain access to Legend Island, a special area with exclusive challenges and races.

The map is the largest in Forza Horizon history. Tokyo is the star: five times larger than any urban area in previous entries, with distinct districts ranging from neon-lit downtown streets to industrial docklands to quiet suburbs. Shibuya Crossing, Ginko Avenue, and Tokyo Tower are all there. But the map isn't just Tokyo. It's the contrast between dense urban areas and the mountainous touge roads, open fields, and rural Japan. Seasonal changes shift the landscape dramatically, from cherry blossom season to snowy winters, with real impact on how the world looks and drives.

The car roster is staggering. Over 550 real-world cars at launch, all extensively customizable. JDM classics are a particular focus, given the Japanese setting. Engine audio has been overhauled. Steering animations now support up to 540 degrees of wheel rotation. You can store vehicles in eight garages that double as fast travel points. There's a customizable mountainside estate in rural Japan. The Eliminator, a 72-player battle royale mode first introduced in Forza Horizon 4, returns.

What Works

Japan is the perfect setting. Playground Games chose Japan not just because fans asked for it, but because Japanese car culture gives the game its identity. Touge battles, street racing, Daikoku-style car meets, JDM classics. The setting isn't wallpaper. It's the soul of the game. Art director Don Arceta described it as a location "full of contrast," and that contrast is what makes exploration rewarding. You drive from neon downtown Tokyo to winding mountain roads and it feels like two different games connected by a single map.

The driving is the best in the series. Turn 10 Studios shifted focus from Forza Motorsport to assist Playground Games on Horizon 6, and their sim-racing expertise shows. The handling model is tighter. Car detail is dramatically improved. The ForzaTech engine now features ray-traced global illumination for indirect lighting, paired with traditional rasterized lighting and ray-traced reflections. On PC, Microsoft's Advanced Shader Delivery debuts on AMD Radeon RX 7000 and 9000 series GPUs, cutting shader compilation stutter and reducing loading times by 95%.

The progression respects your time. The wristband system from the original Forza Horizon returns, and it's a smart choice. Instead of the overwhelming activity grid of Horizon 5, progression is linear and clear. Earn wristbands by completing events. Each wristband unlocks better cars and new areas. Reaching the gold wristband opens Legend Island. It's a structure that gives you direction without removing freedom. PCGamesN compared the progression system to the first Forza Horizon, and that's the right reference point. This is a game that knows what made the series great and refines it rather than bloating it.

The event variety keeps things fresh. Touge battles are a standout addition that leverages the Japanese setting. Street racing through Tokyo's districts feels distinct from open-road racing. The Eliminator mode gives you a 72-player battle royale if you want something competitive. EventLab returns for user-generated content. Horizon CoLab lets you build together. There's more to do than any reasonable person will finish, and none of it feels like filler.

Co-op and multiplayer are excellent. Online co-op, online PvP, car meets, and group activities round out the experience. The categories list on Steam confirms the full suite: Multi-player, PvP, Online PvP, Co-op, Online Co-op. This is a game designed to be played with friends as much as solo.

What Doesn't

The story and dialogue are weak. PC Gamer scored it 84/100 and specifically called out the cutscene dialogue as "bland" with "trite platitudes and empty positivity" that makes for a "peak second-screen" experience. GamesRadar+ similarly criticized the "shallow" story. This is not new for Forza Horizon. The series has always struggled with narrative framing. But at $69.99, the thin story stands out more. If you're here for plot, you're in the wrong place.

It's conservative. Multiple critics noted that Forza Horizon 6 doesn't reinvent the wheel. GamesRadar+ praised the racing engine and world but noted the game "could feel conservative in its adherence to the established series structure." TechRadar said players "expecting a major overhaul of the series' progression and structure might find it familiar." If you've played Horizon 4 and 5 extensively, the formula will feel comfortable. Maybe too comfortable. The improvements are real but incremental. This is a refinement, not a revolution.

$69.99 is steep, and the DLC adds up. The Standard Edition is $69.99. There's a VIP Membership ($19.99), Welcome Pack ($4.99), Treasure Map ($2.99), Car Pass ($29.99), Time Attack Car Pack ($9.99), two Expansions (pricing TBD), an Expansions Bundle ($49.99), and a Premium Upgrade Bundle ($59.99). If you want everything, you're spending over $130. The base game is complete on its own, but the DLC structure is aggressive.

PC Gamer's 84 is the outlier to know about. Most reviews are 9/10 or higher. PC Gamer's lower score reflects a valid perspective from a PC-centric outlet. The Windows version is excellent but if you're a PC racing sim enthusiast who already has Assetto Corsa Competizione or iRacing, Forza Horizon 6's arcade-leaning handling won't replace your sim rig. It's a different kind of racing game. Know what you're buying.

Who Should Play It

• You've played every Forza Horizon game. This is the best one. The Japan setting, the refined progression, the Turn 10-assisted handling. It's the series at its peak.
• You love Japanese car culture. Touge battles, JDM classics, Daikoku car meets, Shibuya Crossing. This is the most authentic Japanese car culture game ever made.
• You want an open-world racing game you can play for 100+ hours. Over 550 cars, the largest map in franchise history, EventLab, co-op, and The Eliminator. This will keep you busy for months.
• You're new to racing games. Forza Horizon has always been the gateway, and Horizon 6 is the most accessible entry yet with adjustable difficulty and keyboard-only options.

Score: 9/10

Forza Horizon 6 doesn't surprise you. It doesn't need to. What it does is execute the open-world racing formula at a level no other studio can match. Japan is the setting fans have wanted for years. The driving is the best in the series. The progression respects your time. The car roster is massive. The tech is cutting edge. Playground Games took the Forza Horizon formula, applied it to the most-requested setting in franchise history, and delivered a game that makes every other open-world racer look like it's standing still.

Is it conservative? Yes. Is the story bad? Yes. Does it matter? Not really. Forza Horizon 6 is a racing game for people who love driving, and the driving has never been better.

Get it on Steam ($69.99, Windows only)

DLC available: VIP Membership ($19.99) | Car Pass ($29.99) | Expansions Bundle ($49.99) | Premium Upgrade Bundle ($59.99)

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