At its launch, Forza Horizon 6 achieved a peak of 273,148 concurrent players on Steam, establishing it as the most successful title from Xbox Game Studios on the platform and marking the largest debut for a racing game in Steam’s history.
This number exceeds Forza Horizon 5’s peak of 81,096 by more than three times and narrowly surpasses Halo Infinite’s record by approximately 500 players.
This achievement is particularly remarkable considering the game’s minimum price of $70 and the fact that a significant number of players accessed it through Xbox Game Pass rather than making direct purchases on Steam.
Buyers of the Premium Edition gained early access on May 15, 2026, resulting in over 170,000 concurrent players on Steam prior to the standard edition’s release on May 19.
The excitement generated on social media by early players, coupled with a long-standing demand from fans for a setting in Japan, contributed to the game’s entry into Steam’s top five most-played titles at launch.
Even a complete build leak that occurred ten days before the official release did not dampen enthusiasm, as Playground Games benefited from robust PC optimisation and the lack of controversial DRM.
Forza Horizon 6 gets massive boost in ratings and reviews
The game boasts a Metacritic score of 91 and a ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam, with critics appreciating its blend of arcade-style fun and realistic handling, its expansive map of Japan, and its cultural authenticity.
Reviewers noted the variety of environments ranging from the neon-lit streets of Tokyo to the scenic views of Mount Fuji as well as new features such as touge races and car meets.
Xbox leadership praised it as the most played early access title in the history of the series, marking a streak of four consecutive franchise entries that have received ratings above 90 on Metacritic.
Forza Horizon 6 is an open-world racing game created by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios. It was officially released on May 19, 2026, and transports the renowned Horizon Festival to the eagerly awaited setting of Japan.
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