Forza Horizon 6 Turns Japan Into a May 19 Road Trip, Minimizing Racing

10 articles · Updated · The Verge · May 14

May 19’s Forza Horizon 6 is framed less as a pure racer than an exploration-heavy open world, with the reviewer spending most of the game driving across Japan rather than entering events.
Japan’s map—described as the series’ largest—stretches from Tokyo streets to roads near Mount Fuji, and nearly all of it opens early, letting players roam freely after the opening sequence.
Two progression tracks support that approach: Horizon Festival races and “Discover Japan,” which awards XP for uncovering roads, smashing mascot statues, taking photos and finding hidden cars from visual clues.
That structure turns exploration into meaningful progression while preserving arcade-style driving and cinematic races, including giant jumps, shifting terrain and even a mech showdown.
The game launches on Xbox and PC on May 19, with a PS5 version planned later in 2026.

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