Forza Horizon 6 isn’t even officially out yet for most players, and it’s already rewriting series records. During the Premium Edition early access period that kicked off on May 15, 2026, Playground Games’ Japan-set racing epic hit a peak of 178,009 concurrent players on Steam — making it the most-played Forza Horizon game in the series’ history on Valve’s platform before the standard release has even happened. That number more than doubles the previous franchise record of 81,096 set by Forza Horizon 5 back in November 2021.
What makes this especially striking is the context around who’s actually playing. Every one of those 178,000+ players paid $119.99 for the Premium Edition specifically to get in early. The $69.99 Standard Edition, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and PC Game Pass subscribers don’t unlock access until the official full launch on May 19, 2026. In other words, this record was set by the smaller, higher-spending segment of the player base. The flood hasn’t arrived yet.
How Does This Compare to Previous Forza Horizon Games on Steam?
To understand just how significant this is, it helps to look at the broader context across the series. Forza Horizon 4 peaked at approximately 75,000 concurrent Steam players. Forza Horizon 5 improved on that with its record of 81,096, reached in the first weekend after its November 9, 2021 launch — and crucially, that peak came with the full player base having immediate access on day one across all platforms simultaneously. There was no early access paywall, no tiered launch. Everyone jumped in at once.
Forza Horizon 6 has already surpassed both of those numbers by a massive margin — and done so with only a subset of players who were willing to pay a premium price for early entry. The full launch numbers on May 19, when Game Pass subscribers and standard purchasers pile in, will almost certainly push that peak significantly higher still. For reference, Xbox Game Pass has tens of millions of subscribers globally, and this is a day-one Game Pass title.
Why Japan Was the Right Call
Japan has been one of the most-requested settings in the Forza Horizon community for years. The country offers an almost absurdly rich canvas for an open-world racing game — mountain passes that evoke legendary touge driving roads, dense urban environments inspired by Tokyo and Osaka, coastal highways, and a landscape that transitions dramatically between ultra-modern cityscapes and ancient rural Japan. Playground Games’ decision to take the series there for the first time has clearly resonated with the community in a major way.
The game’s critical reception backs that up. Forza Horizon 6 currently holds a Top Critic Average of 91 on OpenCritic, making it the third game in 2026 to hit a 90+ average rating on the platform. It joins Lost and Found Co. and Pokemon Pokopia in that exclusive company. Windows Central’s reviewer gave the game a near-perfect score, writing that “if you love racing and want an open-world experience that’s equal parts heart and horsepower, Forza Horizon 6 is a no-brainer.” The consensus among critics appears to be that this is not just the best Forza Horizon game — it might be one of the best racing games ever made.
What’s in Forza Horizon 6?
The game launches with over 550 cars available, ranging from classic Japanese sports cars to modern hypercars and everything in between. The Japan setting gives the roster a natural home — JDM legends like the Nissan Skyline GT-R, Honda NSX, and Toyota Supra sit alongside rare European and American machinery in a world built specifically to make them look and feel at home.
The open world itself spans diverse regions of Japan, giving players mountain circuits, urban environments, coastal roads, and off-road terrain to explore. Playground Games is known for building some of the most technically accomplished open-world environments in gaming, and early player feedback suggests that Forza Horizon 6’s Japan is the studio’s most detailed and varied map yet.
The game is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, and through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from May 19. A PlayStation 5 version is also planned for later in 2026, though Microsoft hasn’t confirmed a specific date for that release — and when it does arrive, it will add yet another massive wave of new players to the overall numbers.
What Happens at Full Launch?
The real test of just how big Forza Horizon 6’s player numbers can get comes on May 19. Game Pass is the wildcard here. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has a subscriber base that dwarfs the pool of players willing to pay $120 for early access to any game. When tens of millions of Game Pass subscribers see Forza Horizon 6 sitting on their service with universally excellent reviews and a 91 OpenCritic average, the conversion rate is going to be high.
There’s also the broader PC gaming audience — players who don’t have Game Pass, didn’t pre-order the Premium Edition, but have been watching early access footage and reviews roll in. That group is going to push the Steam numbers higher on launch day as well. Whether the game breaks 300,000, 400,000, or more concurrent Steam players is genuinely unknown at this point, but based on the trajectory from early access alone, it would take something unexpected for the full launch peak not to absolutely dwarf what’s already been recorded.
Early Feedback and What Playground Games Will Need to Address
While overall sentiment from early access players is overwhelmingly positive, Forza Horizon 6 is not without its early friction points. Players have already begun sharing feedback with Playground Games about specific issues — most notably some concerns around car manufacturer representation, with Volvo’s absence from the roster drawing attention from players who feel the Swedish brand’s lineup would suit the game well. It’s the kind of feedback that often gets incorporated into post-launch updates and DLC car packs as Playground’s ongoing support schedule rolls out.
Playground Games has historically been strong at post-launch support for the Forza Horizon series, adding new cars, seasonal content, and events on a regular cadence throughout a game’s lifecycle. Given how strong this launch is looking commercially and critically, there’s every reason to expect that same level of ongoing investment for Forza Horizon 6.
With a 91 OpenCritic average, a record-breaking early access performance on Steam, and a full-launch day-one Game Pass debut that could push player numbers to unprecedented heights for the series, Forza Horizon 6 is positioning itself as a serious Game of the Year contender and the biggest launch in Playground Games’ history. May 19 is going to be a big day for racing game fans.
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