Forza Horizon 6: Japan Setting Confirmed for 2026, Xbox & PC First
▼ Summary
– Forza Horizon 6 has been officially announced and will be set in Japan, with a release planned for 2026.
– The game will launch first on PC and Xbox consoles, with a PlayStation 5 version arriving after its initial release.
– Developers state that Tokyo City will be the most complex and intricate drivable area in the series’ history.
– The decision to set the game in Japan was influenced by player feedback and technical advances from previous titles.
– The game will feature a mix of Tokyo’s urban environment and rural Japanese areas, including Mount Fuji, and will include seasonal changes.
The long awaited confirmation has finally arrived: Forza Horizon 6 is officially heading to Japan in 2026. Microsoft made the announcement during its Xbox Tokyo Game Show broadcast, revealing that the game will debut first on PC and Xbox consoles, with a PlayStation 5 version planned for a later date. This decision fulfills years of fan requests to bring the open world racing festival to the iconic automotive and cultural landscape of Japan.
During the presentation, Xbox executive Matt Booty expressed the team’s enthusiasm for the project. He stated that the developers at Playground Games and Turn 10 have invested immense passion into creating this installment, aiming to capture the essence of Japan in a way the series never has before. Booty acknowledged that this location has been the most fervently requested by the community since the franchise began.
Ahead of the official reveal, key figures from the development team shared insights into the ambitious project. Playground Games art director Don Arceta and cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita discussed the choice of Japan as the new setting. They highlighted that Tokyo City is poised to become the most complex and intricate drivable area ever featured in a Horizon title, pushing the boundaries of the game’s design.
An accompanying blog post elaborated on the timing of this decision. Arceta explained that recent technological progress was a significant factor, making the team’s vision achievable. He noted that each Horizon game builds upon the lessons of its predecessor, allowing for continuous evolution in scale and detail. Player feedback was crucial, but so were practical developments from previous projects. For example, the engineering behind the elevated tracks in the Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels expansion directly informed the creation of Tokyo’s multi-level roadways in the new game.
The initial teaser trailer offers a glimpse of the diverse environment players can expect. The game will seamlessly blend the dense, neon-lit urban sprawl of Tokyo with picturesque rural landscapes, including the majestic Mount Fuji. Arceta also confirmed that the franchise’s signature dynamic seasonal weather system will make a return, ensuring the environment continues to change and challenge players throughout the year.
The announcement follows an earlier social media post that inadvertently went live hours before the scheduled broadcast. That post featured a short teaser confirming the 2026 release window and the Japanese setting, encouraging fans to wishlist the game. It also confirmed the title as an Xbox Play Anywhere game and a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass. This news aligns with previous statements from Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer about a new Forza title arriving in 2026. With developments at the Forza Motorsport team, the focus has clearly shifted to the Horizon series. Fan speculation about a Japanese setting had been building for months, fueled by teasing posts from companies associated with the game, making this confirmation a welcome resolution to the anticipation.
(Source: IGN)
