Forza Horizon 6 Developer_Direct summary: All the key details from today's showcase

The Developer_Direct is ongoing but Forza Horizon 6 just kicked the whole thing off. With tons of information shared by Playground Games, we've gathered all of the key details into this one handy text.

We never had any doubt that Playground Games wouldn't stack Forza Horizon 6 with a broad array of cars, but now we've learnt about just how many cars will be available to unlock and use. At launch, players can look forward to collecting as many as 550 vehicles, and out of all of these, which is the car that Playground has selected to be the poster and cover option, you ask? The GR GT Prototype (with the Toyota Land Cruiser also getting some love), a fitting option for the Japanese open-world.

Beyond the various cars that are being presented, Playground did use the Direct to share frankly too many details about the game. For one, we know that Japan will be a very diverse and varied place with open fields, stunning mountain paths, and the bustling metropolis of Tokyo that is claimed to be five-times bigger than any city Playground has made for a Forza Horizon game to date and even featuring specific districts.

Looking at the gameplay, it's very much traditional Forza Horizon wherein players start at the bottom and have to unlock different wristbands as they move up through the tiers of the Horizon Festival. There will be Showcase events at the big jump between tiers once more and even new Rush challenges that offer obstacle course-like action too. The main difference is that you aren't a racer in Japan looking to conquer the Horizon event; you're just a tourist and that means having to work through qualifiers to get to the main festival at the start. If you think this all sounds like a lot to keep track of, Playground has presented a new Journal mechanic that better tracks your progression and otherwise "adds a new level of value to exploration in Forza Horizon 6".

On top of spending your hard-earned credits on cars and finding tons of collectibles to gather around the open world, the other returning feature is purchasable homes, with eight options available around the map. However, accommodating this is The Estate, a new property that offers deeply customisable elements and a place to build to your heart's content at the cost of currency. It seems to be more of a life-sim element that hasn't been explored much in the series before.

One of the key parts of Japanese car culture is also car meets, and that's something that will be offered in Forza Horizon 6 too. You'll be able to come together with tons of other players and show off your unique ride, download some epic new paint jobs, and even purchase a car they might like.

Lastly, the release date (that we've known about for some time) has been confirmed for May 19 on PC and Xbox Series X/S, with PS5 coming later in 2026. There will be the previously reported Early Access offering for Premium Edition owners from May 15.