Forza Horizon 6 crossed 1.2 million players during its Premium Edition early access window, more than doubled the franchise’s all-time Steam peak with 172,093 concurrent players, and generated an estimated $140 million in revenue before its full May 19 launch.
Forza Horizon 6 surpassed 1.2 million players before its official launch date, making it the biggest pre-release milestone in the franchise’s history. Playground Games’ Japan-set open-world racer opened early access for Premium Edition owners on May 15, and within days the game peaked at 172,093 concurrent players on Steam alone. That is more than double Forza Horizon 5’s all-time record of 81,096, set during its full launch in 2021.
How Did 1.2 Million Players Get In Before Launch?
According to DayOne (formerly XboxEra), the in-game leaderboard for a mandatory early event called River Split Speed Trap tracked 1,191,886 players. Every single one of those players either paid $120 for the Premium Edition or spent $60 on the Premium Edition Upgrade through Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. The standard $69.99 edition does not include early access.
Based on the global average price of roughly $120 per Premium Edition, estimates suggest that Forza Horizon 6 generated over $140 million in revenue from early access alone. Regional pricing varies: the Premium Edition costs $119.99 in the US, approximately €139.51 in Europe, and less in some markets. Regardless, the revenue figure is staggering for a game that had not yet officially launched.
Steam Peak: 172,000 Concurrent Behind a $120 Paywall
SteamDB data confirmed that Forza Horizon 6 hit a peak of 172,093 concurrent players during the early access window on May 15-16. For context, Forza Horizon 5 peaked at 81,096 players during its full release in November 2021, and Forza Horizon 4 reached 75,689 after its later Steam debut. Forza Motorsport (2023), the series’ simulation-focused sibling, topped out at just 4,703.
These Steam numbers only represent one platform. Xbox Series X/S players, Microsoft Store users, and cloud gaming participants are not counted. GamesRadar+ noted this is already the biggest racing game on Steam in over five years, and the wider Game Pass audience has not even arrived yet.
Critics Love It: Metacritic 92, 2026’s Highest-Rated Game
Forza Horizon 6 holds a 92 on Metacritic for Xbox Series X/S based on 65 critic reviews, earning a “Universal Acclaim” badge. The PC version sits at 89. On OpenCritic, 100% of critics recommend the game, and it carries a 91 aggregate score. These numbers make it the highest-rated game of 2026 so far, ahead of Pokemon Pokopia (89) and Resident Evil Requiem.
Notable review scores include a perfect 10/10 from IGN, 5/5 from both Eurogamer and Video Games Chronicle, 9.25/10 from Game Informer, and 9/10 from GamingBolt. Reviewers praised the Japan setting, the refined driving model, touge-style racing events, and the return of the wristband progression system from the original Forza Horizon. The main criticism centred on the story’s dialogue, described by PC Gamer as “bland” and by GamesRadar+ as “shallow.”
Why Japan Changed Everything
Fans had been requesting a Japan setting for over a decade, and Playground Games delivered the series’ largest and densest open world to date. The Tokyo city area is five times bigger than any previous Horizon city and is described as the franchise’s “most complex and intricate drivable space.” Art director Don Arceta highlighted Japan’s dramatic contrasts: neon-lit downtown streets, mountainous touge roads, cherry blossom fields, and snow-covered winter landscapes.
The game launches with over 550 real-world cars, eight garages that double as fast-travel points, and a customisable mountainside estate. New social features include Car Meets built around Japanese car culture and a Collection Journal for photographing points of interest. The Eliminator battle royale mode returns, and biomes are now based on elevation rather than simple regional borders.
Pre-Orders Were Already Record-Breaking
Weeks before early access began, gaming market data firm Alinea Analytics reported that Forza Horizon 6 had sold over 500,000 copies in Steam pre-orders, generating approximately $30 million in gross revenue. On the very first day pre-orders went live on Steam, more than 50,000 copies were sold. The game’s Steam wishlist count reached 3.3 million.
Alinea Analytics projected that Forza Horizon 6 could surpass 2 million Steam sales within 24 hours of the full launch. For comparison, Forza Horizon 5 attracted over 10 million players in its first week across all platforms in 2021. Horizon 6 is tracking well ahead of that pace on Steam alone, before console sales and Game Pass activations are even counted.
What Happens on May 19?
The full global launch on May 19, 2026 unlocks the game for Standard Edition ($69.99) and Deluxe Edition buyers, as well as Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers at no extra cost. This means millions of additional players will flood in on day one.
Forza Horizon 6 is available on Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. A PlayStation 5 version is confirmed for later in 2026, though Microsoft has not announced a specific date. Speculation points toward August or September, positioned ahead of GTA 6’s November release window. The PS5 launch will likely push the total player base and revenue figures significantly higher.
Next-Gen Technology Under the Hood
Forza Horizon 6 is the first title in the series built exclusively for current-generation hardware, with no Xbox One support. Playground Games credited this decision with unlocking major technical improvements. The game uses ray-traced global illumination for indirect lighting, ray-traced reflections on cars, and a new refraction-based shader system for headlights and taillights.
On Xbox Series X, Quality mode runs at native 4K/30 FPS, while Performance mode targets 60 FPS with dynamic resolution scaling between 1620p and 2160p. The Series S offers 1440p/30 and 1080p/60 respectively. On PC, AMD’s Advanced Shader Delivery technology debuted with the game, reducing loading times by up to 95% on compatible GPUs. The game also launched with a Steam Deck Verified badge.
Steam Reviews Recovered After Rocky Start
Early Steam reviews briefly dipped to “Mixed” during the first hours of early access, primarily due to technical complaints including lag, memory leaks, and a download error requiring an updated version. A significant portion of the initial negative reviews came from Chinese players. However, reviews quickly recovered to “Very Positive” at 83% as issues were patched and addressed.
What Players Are Asking
Is Forza Horizon 6 on Game Pass?
Yes. The Standard Edition is included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from the full launch date of May 19 at no additional cost. Early access was only available through the Premium Edition or Premium Edition Upgrade ($60 for existing Game Pass subscribers).
How much has Forza Horizon 6 earned so far?
Estimates suggest over $140 million from Premium Edition sales during early access alone. This figure does not include Standard or Deluxe Edition pre-orders, Game Pass subscription revenue, or any post-launch sales.
When is the PS5 version releasing?
Microsoft confirmed a PS5 release for later in 2026 but has not given a specific date. Analysts and content creators estimate August or September as the most likely window, providing breathing room before GTA 6’s November launch.
How big is the Japan map?
Playground Games describes it as the franchise’s largest and densest open world. The Tokyo city area alone is five times larger than any previous Horizon urban zone. The map uses an elevation-based biome system, with environments shifting dynamically as players drive from coastal roads to mountain passes to dense urban streets.
The Biggest Forza Launch in History
Forza Horizon 6 has shattered every franchise record before its full release even begins. With 1.2 million early access players, a 172,000 concurrent Steam peak, a Metacritic score of 92, and an estimated $140 million in pre-launch revenue, the game is positioned as not just the biggest racing launch of the year but one of 2026’s most significant gaming events. When May 19 arrives and millions of Game Pass subscribers and standard edition buyers join in, these numbers will almost certainly climb dramatically higher.
