Forza Horizon 6 Dev Issues Bans to Pirates After Leak
▼ Summary
– Playground Games denied the leaked Forza Horizon 6 build resulted from a pre-load issue and threatened franchise-wide and hardware bans for anyone accessing it.
– The entire 155-gigabyte game was reportedly leaked via an unencrypted Steam preload, making it available on piracy websites days before its official release.
– The leak appears to have occurred because the preload and its decryption update were released early by mistake.
– Microsoft is taking legal action to plug the leak, including removing Reddit posts detailing the game’s availability on piracy sites.
– Despite the leak, Forza Horizon 6 is the second top-selling game on Steam by revenue and is set to launch on May 19, with early access starting May 15.
UPDATE: Playground Games has confirmed it is issuing bans to anyone caught accessing an early, leaked version of Forza Horizon 6, and has pushed back against claims the leak came from a pre-load error.
In a statement shared on social media, the Microsoft-owned developer urged fans to wait for the official launch rather than pirate the game on PC.
“We are aware of reports that a build of Forza Horizon 6 has been obtained prior to its release and can confirm this is not the result of a pre-load issue,” Playground stated.
“We are taking strict enforcement action against any individuals found accessing this build including franchise-wide and hardware bans. We encourage fans to sit tight for the game’s release on May 19.”
ORIGINAL STORY: A major leak hit Forza Horizon 6 after the full game was reportedly made available through an unencrypted Steam preload.
Online reports indicate that 155 gigabytes of unencrypted Forza Horizon 6 files appeared on SteamDB over the weekend. This happened four days before early access and nine days before the full launch, suggesting the files were accessible on Steam itself. The result was that the game became available for download on piracy websites.
The issue appears to stem from the Forza Horizon 6 preload process. Normally, preloads allow players to download encrypted files. When a game officially launches, Steam delivers a decryption update that unlocks those files. In this case, both the preload and the decryption update were reportedly released early.
While the damage is already done, Microsoft may be working to contain the fallout. A prominent Reddit thread detailing the game’s availability on piracy sites had its opening post removed by Reddit’s Legal Operations team, according to an online notice. Reports also indicate that some people are streaming the game early, though Microsoft is likely to take action against those accounts.
IGN has reached out for comment.
This is a significant misstep for Microsoft, one that could cost both the company and Forza Horizon 6 developer Playground Games. The highly anticipated racing title is scheduled to launch on PC and Xbox, and it will also be available on Game Pass. However, Steam is expected to be a major sales driver. Currently, Forza Horizon 6 ranks as the second top-selling game by revenue on Valve’s platform, where it is also the third most-wishlisted title. That suggests the leak, while damaging, may not derail its commercial success.
Microsoft has not yet confirmed the exact unlock time for Forza Horizon 6, nor whether the leak will alter the launch schedule. The general release date is set for May 19, with early access beginning four days earlier, on May 15.
(Source: IGN)
