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.
After more than 30 hours with the game on Xbox Series X/S, the answer appears to be yes.
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What makes Japan work as a Horizon setting
Forza Horizon settings live or die on the map. The environment isn't decoration — it's the reason to show up for the next entry. Mexico delivered because it crammed real biome variety into one space: desert, jungle, snow-capped volcanoes. Japan, carved into 10 distinct regions, manages the same trick.
Shibuya Crossing and Mount Fuji stand out as the kind of locations where just driving over a ridge and catching Fuji on the horizon feels earned instead of forced. Tokyo ranks as the series' largest city, though it's nowhere near the scale of the actual metropolis. And there are notable absences: Kyoto and Osaka don't appear on the map at all, which will disappoint anyone hoping for a more complete tour of the country.
The 10 regions also anchor the game's Discover Japan event line, which pairs regional tours with a guide who adds context about both the cars and the culture. Voice acting breaks immersion in spots, but the concept works. There's even a food delivery minigame set in Tokyo that doubles as both a side activity and an exploration incentive.
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 puts you in a race across the Japanese countryside against a building-height mech, which is exactly as ridiculous 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 define 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, and it continues to hold up.
Barn Finds, collectibles, and 30+ hours of content
The game spreads Barn Find and Treasure Car collectibles across all 10 regions, with smashable regional mascot collectibles scattered throughout for players who enjoy that kind of discovery loop. More than 30 hours of play still leaves activities untouched. 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
Critical reception has awarded Forza Horizon 6 a "Must Play" designation, with assessments calling it one of the greatest racing games of this generation. Reviews do 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, the verdict 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.
