Forza Horizon 6 is an open-world racing game from Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios, set in a fictional Japan and released May 19, 2026. Your goal is to earn seven Festival Wristbands and reach Legend Island. You win individual races by finishing first, while online modes like the 72-player Eliminator reward the last driver standing.
What is Forza Horizon 6?
Forza Horizon 6 is an open-world racing game from Playground Games, published by Xbox Game Studios, with help from Turn 10 Studios. It came out on May 19, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam and the Microsoft Store), and it is included with selected Xbox Game Pass plans. A PS5 version is next: on October 8, 2026 Playground Games dated it for January 26, launching alongside the game's first expansion.
This time the Horizon Festival moves to a fictional take on Japan, with a stylised Tokyo as the main city, mountain touge roads and seasons that change the landscape. The map is the biggest in the series, and the game launched with more than 550 cars.
| Fact | Details (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Developer | Playground Games (with Turn 10 Studios) |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Release | May 19, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and PC |
| PS5 | Dated for January 26, with the first expansion |
| Price model | Paid game (Standard Edition $69.99 at launch); on selected Game Pass plans |
| Genre | Open-world arcade racing |
| Setting | A fictional Japan centred on Tokyo |
| Live updates | Series 6, Horizon Meets, rolled out October 5, 2026 |
Like earlier Horizon games, it runs in weekly seasons grouped into multi-week Series, each with a fresh Festival Playlist of challenges and rewards. You can see how it compares with other titles on our every game explained page.
What is the objective of Forza Horizon 6?
You arrive in Japan as a tourist at the Horizon Festival, and the long-term goal is to become a Horizon legend. In practice that means earning all seven Festival Wristbands. The final one, the Gold Wristband, unlocks Legend Island and its special events, including the longest Goliath race in the series so far.
A single session has no fixed goal. You might win a few festival races, chase Discover Japan Stamps by finding landmarks and murals, tick off the weekly Festival Playlist, or jump online for Horizon Play. Everything you do earns credits, cars or progress toward one of the three paths.
That freedom is why Forza Horizon feels relaxed compared with most racing games. Losing a race costs you nothing except the reward, and you can change the difficulty and assists in the settings.
How do you win a race in Forza Horizon 6?
Most events are won by crossing the line first, but some modes score you differently. Here is how winning works in the main event types and online modes, as of October 2026.
| Mode | Team size | How you win |
|---|---|---|
| Festival races (road, dirt, cross country) | Solo vs AI, or online | Finish first; podium places still pay rewards |
| Showcase Events and Horizon Rush | Solo | Complete the event or obstacle challenge to earn Festival Points toward Wristbands |
| Touge Showdown | 1v1 online | Win a head-to-head championship of three mountain races |
| The Eliminator | Up to 72 players | Open-world battle royale: avoid being knocked out and be the last driver standing |
| Spec Racing | Online | Everyone drives the same stock car, so the best driver wins |
| Horizon Drift and Custom Drifting | Online free-for-all | Score the most drift points |
| Hide & Seek | Online group | The Hider wins by staying hidden; the chasers win by finding them |
The Festival Playlist adds weekly challenges on top. Finishing them earns Festival Playlist points and seasonal rewards, and the Series leaderboards reset when a new Series starts.
How does progression work?
Forza Horizon 6 has three progression paths. Festival Wristbands are the main campaign. Discover Japan Stamps reward exploring: there are seven, and they unlock Barn Find Rumors, homes to buy and Mei's grandparents' Estate. Horizon Play is the online path, with its own levels up to 100 and a badge every ten ranks. Levels up to 25 also feed Festival Points into your next Wristband.
For the full breakdown, read our Forza Horizon 6 progression guide, then the Wristbands guide for the fastest route to Gold. Every article is collected in our Forza Horizon 6 guides hub.
Beginner tips to win more
- Use assists without shame. Driving assists are fine while you learn; turn them off one at a time as you improve.
- Brake before the corner. Most lost races come from braking mid-turn; slow down in a straight line, then accelerate out.
- Build one car per class. A tuned car you know well wins more than a garage of untested ones.
- Chase Wristbands first. They unlock faster classes and bigger events, which makes every other path easier.
- Pick up Stamps along the way. Landmarks and murals near your route fill the Collection Journal without extra trips.
- Do the weekly Festival Playlist. It changes each week and is the main source of seasonal rewards.
- Try Spec Racing online. Everyone gets the same car, so it is the fairest way to measure your driving.
How can Boosting Games help with Forza Horizon 6?
Boosting Games sells fixed-price Forza Horizon 6 services, all listed on the Forza Horizon 6 services collection. The prices below are starting prices as of October 2026, and the exact price for the option you pick shows before checkout.
| Service | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Forza Horizon 6 Wristband Boost | Help earning the Festival Points for your next Wristbands | From $15 |
| Forza Horizon 6 Discover Japan Boost | Help completing the activities that earn Discover Japan Stamps | From $25 |
| Forza Horizon 6 Horizon Play Leveling | Horizon Play levels earned in the online modes | From $29 |
| Forza Horizon 6 Festival Playlist Completion | The weekly Festival Playlist completed for its rewards | From $19 |
| Forza Horizon 6 Race Completion | The races or events you choose completed | From $19 |
| Forza Horizon 6 Achievements Boost | The achievements you pick unlocked | From $25 |
Honest risk note: Forza Horizon 6 runs on your Microsoft or Steam account, and those platforms' terms tell you not to share your password or let others use your account. Piloted orders, where a booster signs in to play, carry the most risk; anything you play yourself carries less, and coaching carries none. Read our account safety notice before you order. We never sell accounts, credits, cars, cheats or mods.
Get help with Forza Horizon 6
Pick a service and option, see the exact price before you pay, and follow every session on your private order page.
See Forza Horizon 6 servicesAsk Boost Up AISee every option on our Forza Horizon 6 boosting page, and read how it works to see each step of an order. Boost Up AI can help you choose.
Related reading: Forza Horizon 6 Progression Guide: Wristbands, Stamps and Horizon Play, Forza Horizon 6 Wristbands Guide: The Fastest Route to Gold, and two more beginner guides from the same genre, what Rocket League is and how to win and what Tekken 8 is and how to win.
Forza Horizon 6 FAQ
Is Forza Horizon 6 on PS5?
Not yet. Forza Horizon 6 launched on May 19, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. In October 2026 Playground Games announced the PS5 version for January 26, releasing together with the game's first expansion. Until then, the only ways to play are Xbox Series X|S, Steam and the Microsoft Store on PC, or a Game Pass plan that includes it.
Is Forza Horizon 6 free with Game Pass?
It is included with selected Xbox Game Pass plans, so subscribers on those plans can play it without buying it separately. Otherwise it is a paid game, with the Standard Edition listed at $69.99 at launch. Deluxe and Premium editions add car packs, and Premium includes two planned map expansions.
Where is Forza Horizon 6 set?
Forza Horizon 6 is set in a fictional version of Japan, with a stylised Tokyo as the main city plus mountain touge roads and countryside. Seasons change the landscape, from cherry blossoms to snow. The map is the largest in the series, and Tokyo alone is several times bigger than the cities in earlier games.
How do you get the Gold Wristband?
You earn seven Festival Wristbands in order. The first comes from the Horizon Qualifiers and Horizon Invitational, and the rest come from Festival Points earned in Showcase Events, Horizon Rush challenges and races, with Horizon Play levels adding a little too. The seventh is the Gold Wristband, which opens Legend Island and its special events.
What is the Eliminator in Forza Horizon 6?
The Eliminator is the open-world battle royale mode, with up to 72 players sharing the map. Drivers are knocked out as the event goes on, and the aim is to be the last one left. It counts toward Horizon Play, the online progression path, so it is also a way to earn Horizon Play levels while you practise racing against real people.
Is Forza Horizon 6 good for beginners?
Yes. Adjustable difficulty and driving assists let new players finish races while they learn. There is no penalty for losing beyond missing the reward, and exploring the map for Discover Japan Stamps also counts as progress. Spec Racing online is a fair place to test yourself once you feel ready.
Sources: Wikipedia: Forza Horizon 6, Forza.net: three pathways of progression, Forza.net: Series 6 release notes, VGC: PS5 date and expansion, Gfinity: release date, platforms and price, GamesRadar+: Forza Horizon 6 guide.