The bar was always going to be high. Forza Horizon 5's Mexico map is widely considered one of the best open worlds in racing games, and Playground Games spent years building on that reputation. So when Forza Horizon 6 landed in reviewers' hands ahead of its May 19, 2026 launch, the question wasn't whether it would be good. It was whether Japan could match Mexico's magic.
According to Game Informer's Brian Shea, who reviewed the game on Xbox Series X/S after more than 30 hours of play, the answer is yes.
What makes Japan work as a Horizon setting
Here's the thing about Forza Horizon settings: the map isn't just a backdrop. It's the whole argument for buying the next entry. Mexico worked because it packed genuine biome variety into a single map, from deserts to jungle to snow-capped volcanoes. Japan, split across 10 distinct regions, pulls a similar trick.
Shea's review highlights Shibuya Crossing and Mount Fuji as standout moments, the kind of locations where just cresting a hill and seeing Fuji in the distance feels earned rather than scripted. Tokyo earns a specific callout as the series' largest city to date, though Shea notes it still falls well short of the real city's scale. And there are genuine gaps: Kyoto and Osaka are absent from the map entirely, which will sting for anyone hoping for a fuller tour of the country.
The 10 regions also serve as the backbone for the game's Discover Japan event line, which pairs regional tours with a guide who contextualizes both the cars and the culture. Voice acting is inconsistent enough to break immersion occasionally, but the concept lands. There's even a food delivery minigame set in Tokyo that functions as both a side activity and an exploration prompt.
The festival structure and what's actually new
Forza Horizon 6 runs two parallel event tracks. The Horizon Festival storyline covers traditional circuit races, sprints, and the series' signature set-piece showcase events. One of those set pieces has you racing across the Japanese countryside against a building-height mech, which is exactly as absurd as it sounds and apparently works well. Completing these unlocks additional events, keeping the loop moving without forcing players to grind.
The second track, Discover Japan, leans into the setting's street culture with unsanctioned races and touge battles, the winding mountain pass races that are a cornerstone of Japanese car culture. That's a smart addition for a game set in Japan, and it gives the Horizon format a cultural anchor it doesn't always have.
The Drivatar system returns with its familiar approach: opponent AI that learns from and emulates your friends list, so solo sessions still carry the feel of racing against real people. That feature has been part of the series for years, but Shea notes it continues to hold up.
Barn Finds, collectibles, and 30+ hours of content
Shea logged more than 30 hours before the review published and still had activities left untouched. The game spreads Barn Find and Treasure Car collectibles across all 10 regions, and smashable regional mascot collectibles dot the map for players who enjoy that kind of discovery loop. The key here is that none of this feels like filler padding a thin game. The density of the map gives these activities genuine purpose.
The car roster spans everyday vehicles to top-tier supercars, with rewards structured to keep the garage growing at a satisfying pace. You'll want to check the complete Forza Horizon 6 car list and unlock guide once the game is live to track down everything the map is hiding.
The verdict from critics
Game Informer awarded Forza Horizon 6 a "Must Play" designation, calling it one of the greatest racing games of this generation. The review does flag the late-arriving sense of momentum, noting the game takes longer to open up than previous entries before everything clicks. Once it does, though, Shea's assessment is clear: the combination of Japan's visual range, the dual event structure, and the sheer volume of content puts this entry right alongside Forza Horizon 5 at the top of the series.
With launch five days out, the timing of these reviews gives players enough runway to decide on editions and early access options before the game goes live.
