Forza Horizon 6 Hits the Road in Japan With Record-Breaking Launch Numbers
The wait is finally over. Playground Games’ most ambitious open-world racing game ever, set across the breathtaking landscapes of Japan, officially launched on May 19, 2026, and the racing community has responded with overwhelming enthusiasm. After years of fans demanding a Japan setting, Forza Horizon 6 has delivered in spectacular fashion, and the numbers prove it.
The game has hit a peak of 273,148 players on Steam, shattering expectations and tripling the series’ all-time record, with Forza Horizon 5’s Steam player count peaking at 81,096 over four years ago. Even more impressive, it’s the highest-ever peak for a racing game on Steam, and Xbox’s most successful game launch on the platform, surpassing Halo Infinite. These Steam figures only tell part of the story, as countless players are experiencing Japan through Xbox Game Pass.
Critics are equally enthusiastic. Forza Horizon 6 holds an average critic score of 91 on both Opencritic and Metacritic, ranking as the most critically-acclaimed game of 2026 so far. The game’s open world map is the franchise’s largest, with the Tokyo City area being five times larger than any other Horizon city. With over 550 real-world cars and beloved features like Touge battles and customizable garages, this is the definitive Horizon experience.
Are you already tearing through Tokyo’s neon-lit streets, or are you still deciding which edition to grab? What’s your favorite part of the Japan setting so far?
