6 Things You Likely Missed With The Forza Horizon 6 Announcement

After years of Horizon fans screaming out for Japan, Playground Games finally delivers by taking us to the home of drifting for Forza Horizon 6.

Although yesterday’s announcement was light on specifics, the Playground team has already shared some revealing details in follow-up interviews and press releases that you may have missed. These already provide a much clearer picture of what we can expect.

While the reveal trailer focused on basic scenic shots of Mount Fuji, the real story lies in what the team has been up to behind the scenes. Here are six significant details you likely missed from the Forza Horizon 6 announcement.

Horizon 6’s Japan map is even bigger than FH5

Playground Games is taking things to the next level in terms of scale. In an exclusive interview with GamesRadar+, Forza Horizon’s art director, Don Arceta, confirmed that Japan “is our biggest map yet” and “also our most full”, providing optimism that there will be plenty of things to see and do.

This is impressive when you consider that Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico was already twice the size of the UK in FH4. Although, admittedly, it was more focused on quantity over quality.

But Arceta emphasized that this time around, the bigger scale won’t mean that it’s empty: “… this map that we’ve created for Japan… is big, but also dense. There’s always something around the corner for you to discover and see.”

The team’s focus is on embracing the balance between Tokyo’s densely populated urban city streets and the rural touge roads in the mountains. Instead of FH5’s sprawling desert sections, which often feel soulless and barren, Japan looks set to feature a wide range of technical roads that should be perfect for drifting.

Mount Fuji alone probably demands serious real estate, but it’s Tokyo that Arceta calls Horizon’s “biggest city” to date. This will be great news for anyone (or everyone?) who found Mexico’s vast areas underwhelming compared to Edinburgh’s tight and twisty B-roads.

Tokyo will feature ‘elevated roads’ in the city

Tokyo is shaping up to be the most ambitious city Playground Games has ever attempted, with multi-level road networks stacking vertically through the dense urban areas.

Using what they learned, the team explains in the official press release, “the Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels DLC has helped us develop the elevated roads of Tokyo City in FH6.”

This means we might have the opportunity to re-enact viral videos and the iconic Tokyo Drift parking garage scenes. Multiple levels mean you could be racing above street traffic one moment, then diving into underground tunnels the next. 

Arceta calls it “one of our most detailed and layered environments to date”. Instead of FH5’s relatively flat, dull, open areas, the potential here is super exciting.

Playground is working hard to give Japan the respect it deserves

Thankfully, Japan has been given more thought in the game than simply picking a cool location to please the fans. Playground Games brought in cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita early in development to ensure they get things as genuine as possible.

“While fans have been asking for this location for a long time, it was important to us to acknowledge the love and reverence we have for Japan and its unique culture,” the team explains.

Yamashita’s focus is on authenticity, which we’re delighted to hear: “The team wanted to present more than a postcard or a backdrop; they wanted a lived-in world.”

For the car culture specifically, it looks like they’re focusing on the right details: “Kei cars and vans with cult followings, precision motorsport, drifting’s roots, and their passion for customization really stands out.” It would be hard to ignore drifting this time around!

The priority will be focusing on the in-depth, intricate details that the nation has to offer. Instead of generic Japanese ‘style’ gimmicks, we hope to experience the sounds and vibes of each region. Those who have had the pleasure of visiting Japan will know exactly what I mean.

Seasons will be better than ever

Japan’s seasonal changes are expected to take things to the next level. “For Japan, seasonal changes have a dramatic impact on the landscape and playable world, but also hold a deeper cultural meaning,” explains Arceta. “… seasonal changes aren’t just about changing how the game looks, but how it feels”

We can expect “sweltering summers, snowy winters and, of course, the iconic Sakura season” with cherry blossoms transforming the landscape.

The team promises that these changes will affect tone, ambient audio, and activity, meaning each season should feel truly unique. Given Japan’s dramatic seasonal shifts, this could deliver the meaningful seasonal gameplay we had hoped for in previous Horizon titles.

We’ll likely need to wait longer than usual

Until now, every Horizon game has followed a predictable pattern – an initial announcement at E3 (or another major show), followed by the release 3-5 months later.

FH2 hit stores about 4 months after its June 2014 reveal. FH3 and FH4 both launched roughly 3.5 to 4 months after their E3 announcements. Even FH5 followed a similar timeline, with a 5-month gap between reveal and release.

However, just like its longer gap between games, FH6 will also rewrite this structure. Yesterday’s announcement came with nothing more than a vague “early 2026” promise for more details, along with a general “2026” release window.

Based on the team’s information, we shouldn’t expect to see any gameplay footage until spring at the earliest. Either Playground is playing things more cautiously this time, or Japan’s ambitious scope means they need even more time to nail the execution.

However, a glimmer of hope comes from a credible leaker, NateTheHate2. He once again proved his worth by accurately predicting that FH6 would be announced at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, along with Japan being the location, back in August.

In the comments, he followed up with “First half 2026 is the target/hope”, which still sounds plausible if things go smoothly.

Let’s not forget that GTA 6 is expected to arrive at the end of May, and that’s kinda a big deal. The earlier they can get ahead of that, the better.

They’re not leaving PlayStation fans hanging

It initially looked unlikely we would hear anything about a PlayStation release for some time, but they delivered, albeit vaguely. Although FH6 will launch “first on Xbox consoles and PC in 2026,” they also confirmed it’ll arrive on PlayStation 5 “post-launch.”

This could mean weeks or months after the Xbox release, but it’s still a surprise to hear this on announcement day.

Combined with day-one Game Pass access and Xbox Play Anywhere support, it’s positive news all around. Unless you’re a hopeful Nintendo gamer, that is. Unfortunately, there are no further updates for you guys.