Forza Horizon 6 to take Horizon Festival to Japan in 2026: Watch trailer

Forza Horizon 6 is set in a fictional Japan, bringing iconic cars, culture, and scenery to Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2026, with Game Pass availability at launch

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During Xbox's Tokyo Game Show 2025 broadcast, Playground Games announced the next chapter in the Forza Horizon franchise—Forza Horizon 6. The upcoming open-world driving game is set to launch next year and will transport players to a fictionalised version of Japan as the backdrop for the Horizon Festival. To mark the reveal, the studio also released a teaser trailer, which you can watch at the end of this article. 

Forza Horizon 6: Availability and launch schedule

Forza Horizon 6 will debut in 2026, with availability confirmed for Xbox Series X|S consoles and Windows PCs. The game will also be part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from day one.

 

Although a firm release date has not been confirmed, players can already add Forza Horizon 6 to their wishlist on the Microsoft Store and on online game distribution platform Steam.

Forza Horizon 6: Details

The Horizon series has taken players across varied landscapes—from France and Italy to Australia, before most recently landing in Mexico with Forza Horizon 5. For its sixth entry, the Horizon Festival is heading to Japan.

 

In a blog post on Xbox Wire, Art Director Don Arceta said: “For a long time, Japan has been top of Horizon fans’ wish lists, so we’re excited to finally be bringing this much-requested location to players in Forza Horizon 6.” He added that Japan’s distinctive culture—spanning its cars, fashion, and music—makes it an ideal location for the next Horizon setting. Arceta also emphasised that the team is focused on ensuring authentic representation and gameplay true to the spirit of Japan.

To help achieve this, Microsoft enlisted cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita. “I love the coexistence of Japan: a neighborhood shrine beside a small workshop beside a neon arcade—traditional and modern on the same block. There is so much scope and inspiration to be explored with Japan, and the richness felt like a natural fit for this game,” Yamashita explained.

 

The teaser offered an early glimpse of Mount Fuji, but the developers note it is just the beginning of what players can expect. Playground Games has promised a mix of both urban and rural experiences across Japan. “From the neon lights and towering buildings of Tokyo City—one of our most detailed and layered environments to date—to the serenity and natural beauty of Japan’s rural and mountain areas, we think players will be blown away by the open world of Japan that we have built,” the studio said.

Forza Horizon 6: Trailer