Forza Horizon 6 has already smashed the franchise's all-time Steam record, and the game hasn't even launched for most players yet. On May 15, the game peaked at 172,093 concurrent players on Steam, according to SteamDB data. That's more than double the previous franchise high.
FH6 Steam peak player chart
What makes this number so striking
Here's the thing: every single one of those 172,093 players paid a premium to be there. The $70 standard edition doesn't drop until May 19. Right now, the only way in is the $120 premium edition or a $60 upgrade add-on for existing Game Pass subscribers. So that record-breaking peak is built entirely on players willing to spend serious money for early access.
For context, Forza Horizon 5 set the previous franchise record with 81,096 concurrent players on November 13, 2021, the first Saturday after its November 9 launch. That was the game's full public release day, no paywall, no early access gate. Forza Horizon 6 doubled that figure before most of its audience even has access.
Forza Horizon 4 peaked at 75,689 concurrent players after arriving on Steam in March 2021, years after its original 2018 release. That launch was messy, players reported widespread issues, and the game was eventually delisted from Steam in 2024.
The bigger number is still coming
May 19 is when the standard $70 edition goes live, and that's also when Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members can jump in without any extra spend. That combination of a lower price point and one of the largest subscription gaming platforms on PC is almost certainly going to push the concurrent player count significantly higher.
Game Pass subscribers who want to play before May 19 can buy the $60 premium edition upgrade to get in now, rather than paying $120 for the full premium edition.
The numbers also don't account for Xbox players, which adds a substantial chunk to the total player base that Steam charts simply don't capture. And PlayStation 5 access is still coming later this year, which will bring another wave of new players who have never touched a Forza game on PC or Xbox.
FH6 premium edition upgrade
What this means for the franchise going forward
These numbers matter beyond bragging rights. Forza has historically been an Xbox and PC exclusive, and the Steam performance signals genuine appetite for the series on Valve's platform, even at a premium price. When the full player base arrives on May 19, the peak concurrent figure will almost certainly climb further.
For players planning to jump in at launch, you'll want to check the Forza Horizon 6 release date and start times guide to know exactly when the game unlocks in your time zone. And once you're in, the Forza Horizon 6 credits farming guide is worth bookmarking early, because building up your garage takes resources and knowing the fastest methods saves a lot of time.
The racing games genre hasn't seen numbers like this on Steam in a while. With the PS5 launch still ahead and the full PC and Xbox audience about to get access, the record set on May 15 may not stand for long.
