Forza Horizon 6 Preview
The next entry in the Forza Horizon series is just over a month away, and I had a chance to go hands-on with it courtesy of the team at Xbox. Forza Horizon 6 will see the iconic arcade-style racer make its way to Japan. In truth, it’s surprising it’s taken this long for the series to take place in Japan. I previously suggested Japan might be a perfect location for Forza Horizon in a feature from 10 years ago. Another interesting tidbit is that the time between Forza Horizon 5 and Forza Horizon 6 is the longest development gap between Forza Horizon entries ever. As a fan, I can hope the extended time has allowed the team at Playground Games to develop the best Forza Horizon game to date.
Forza Horizon 6 takes the race to the incredible country of Japan. Japan is known for its diverse landscapes, advanced technology, and beautiful culture. The diverse locations in Japan make for an amazing drive in Forza Horizon 6. From Tokyo streets to snowy mountain roads to sandy seaside trails, there is so much Japan has to offer. Forza Horizon 6 is jam-packed with 662 roads spread over 74 unique areas.
Like previous Forza Horizon games, Forza Horizon 6 kicks off with a prologue that gives players a taste of what’s to come in the game. This includes a short race through Tokyo, around the surrounding countryside, and even some snowy mountain terrain. It’s the equivalent of a racing mix-tape and it does a good way of pumping players up. This is where my preview began. Beyond this, I had the chance to try a few additional qualifying races; a road race, a cross country race, and a trail race. These are the same race types we’ve become accustomed to in previous Forza Horizon games.
Visually Stunning
Make no mistake, this is the best-looking Forza Horizon game, and probably the best-looking racing game, ever made. It’s stunning. The beautiful Japanese environments come to life with so much detail. The cars have always looked incredible in Forza games, but it’s the other details that just keep getting better. Trees and foliage look so much more realistic. There are so many breathtaking vistas to behold. Seeing Mount Fuji for the first time is quite awe-inspiring.
That’s not to say there weren’t some slight visual issues. I noticed the game’s lighting seemed to get a bit confused when I entered tunnels. And the game’s create-a-character leaves much to be desired, as the created characters look bizarre compared to the other in-game characters. Speaking of created characters, they still don’t speak, which creates some awkward cutscenes that seem to now be the norm for Forza Horizon games.
Let’s All Be Friends
The upbeat “we’re all friends” tone from the previous Forza Horizon games returns. At no point during the preview was there a sense of real competitiveness. Everyone you meet is as cool as a cucumber. Life is all glass-half-full rainbows while sprinting around Japan. It’s a bit grating, but fans of the Forza Horizon franchise, like myself, are just used to it.
In addition to racing, PR Stunts make a return to the Forza Horizon map. These PR Stunts give you an opportunity to test your skills in a variety of ways. From the irritating Drift Zones to the mind-blowing Danger Sign jumps, they’re all back. It’ll be fun playing the full game and seeing how my times/speeds/distances stack up against my friends – a Forza Horizon tradition that I thoroughly enjoy.
Gotta Catch Them All
Collectibles are back as well in the form of Bonus Boards, and the newly introduced Mascots. Mascots are unique to each region of Japan and are cute little characters you’ll hit (and smash) along the map.
One of the cool additions to Forza Horizon 6 are the aftermarket cars. I’m assuming these are replacing the classic “garage finds” from previous Forza Horizon games. You’ll find these cars parked throughout Japan, and if you have sufficient currency, you’ll be able to purchase and hop in immediately. While previous garage finds had a bit more of an “oh wow” moment to them, these aftermarket cars provide immediate gratification, as you can jump in and ride immediately.
ANNA My Uber Driver
There are some improvements and features to ANNA, the games built in navigation system. My favourite new feature is the auto-drive ability. Once you have a waypoint set, such as a race or PR stunt, you can ask ANNA to just auto-drive you there. It’s not a fast travel, you’ll still drive the whole distance, but you can just put the controller down and enjoy the ride. There’s even a cinematic view that adds a bit of visual flair to the automated ride. It’s super convenient if you need to get to a race, but also need to play your daily Wordle on your real-life phone.
Forza Horizon 6 is shaping up to be another stellar entry in the Forza Horizon series. It has big shoes to fill. While the previous entry left something to be desired, Forza Horizon 4 is still among one of the best arcade racers of our time. The self-driving addition to ANNA is an absolute blessing from the devs. The updated visuals continue to ensure Forza Horizon is the best-looking racing game around. While there is a lot of “more of the same” feeling with Forza Horizon 6, that’s not entirely a bad thing, especially with such an incredible environment that is Japan to race in. Forza Horizon 6 launches on May 19, 2026.
***Forza Horizon 6 preview key provided by the publisher.***
