Launching first on Xbox and PC, the new Forza Horizon 6 video game will also come to PlayStation 5 consoles at a later date.
The next chapter in Microsoft’s popular Forza Horizon racing game series will be set in Japan, following months of speculation and a leak associated with an Australian vehicle importer.
Confirmed overnight during a Tokyo Games Show livestream, the sixth instalment of the Forza Horizon series will launch in 2026, first on Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, followed by a PlayStation 5 release down the line.
Japan follows Mexico, Great Britain, Australia, France and Italy, and Colorado, which featured in Forza Horizon 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1, respectively.
Few details have been confirmed so far, but the car list is expected to lean heavily towards Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) models, with the nation's pint-sized 'kei' class of city cars likely to feature prominently.
Last month, a post – now removed – by New South Wales-based car importer Cult and Classic revealed a photographer had flown from the United States to scan a Suzuki Every kei van in preparation for the upcoming game.
At the time, the existence of Forza Horizon 6’s setting was yet to be revealed, but fans quickly pieced together the Japan setting, given the evidence.
While Forza has traditionally been an Xbox-exclusive video game series, the fifth instalment was made available on the rival PlayStation console earlier this year as Microsoft pivots its games division towards software sales over hardware.
The current Xbox Series S and X generation of consoles have proven not as popular as their competition, from the PlayStation 5 to the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, leading Microsoft to make a number of its high-profile games available on rival platforms.
Since launching on PlayStation 5 in April, Forza Horizon 5 has become a mainstay in the monthly Top 10 sales charts for the console globally.
“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,” said Forza Horizon 6 Art Director, Don Arceta, in a media statement.
“Japan has such a unique culture – from cars, to music, to fashion – that make it perfect for the next Horizon setting.
“As with any Horizon title, we want to make sure we do the country justice in terms of authentic representation and Horizon open world playability – and now is the right time to realise that fully for players.”
Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
