Forza Horizon 6 in Japan, the PS5 Date and the Quiet End of Forza Motorsport

Forza Horizon 6 finally delivered the setting fans had asked for longest: Japan. Released on 19 May 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, including Game Pass, it opened to some of the best reviews of the year, and Playground Games reported more than six million players within its first week. Its track-racing sibling, Forza Motorsport, has gone the other way. Here is the verified status as of 1 November 2026.

Forza Horizon 6: the festival goes to Japan

Playground's open-world festival turns Japan's cities and mountain roads into its playground, the location its community had requested most. The formula is familiar and polished: a seasonal calendar of events that refreshes the world, a huge car list, photo mode and community creations through EventLab and player-built Estates.

The PS5 version and the first expansion

• PlayStation 5 release: 26 January 2027, later than the original target of 2026.
• Early access: owners of the top edition can play from 21 January 2027.
• First premium expansion: launches on 21 January 2027 and is included in the top edition; its name and location have not been announced.
• Cross-play and cross-save with the Xbox and Steam versions, plus access to months of community creations.
• Two visual modes on PS5: 4K at 30 fps for quality and 60 fps for performance.

Forza Motorsport: parked in the garage

Turn 10 Studios, hit by heavy layoffs in July 2025 as part of Microsoft's cuts, said in December 2025 that Forza Motorsport (2023) would receive no new cars, tracks, features or regular bug fixes. Online servers remain active, with special events and the monthly return of past Featured Tours and reward cars. The studio now supports Forza Horizon 6, and no new Motorsport game has been announced.

Horizon is the festival everyone joins; Motorsport was the classroom. In 2026, Microsoft chose the festival.

What it means for you

• On Xbox or PC: Forza Horizon 6 is out now, on Game Pass and to buy, including on Steam.
• On PS5: pre-orders are open; the top edition adds five days of early access and the first expansion.
• Track purists: Forza Motorsport still runs online, but for active development look to Gran Turismo 7, iRacing or Assetto Corsa Competizione.
• Wheel or controller: Horizon has always supported wheels, but it rewards a good controller just as well.

The Forza brand is now Horizon first. That is good news for anyone who wants a beautiful, generous driving world on the sofa, and a clear signal for serious track racers to look elsewhere. If you play on PS5, mark 26 January: it is the most interesting racing launch on the platform's calendar.