Forza Horizon 6 has crossed more than 6 million players within just one week of its early access release, giving Microsoft and Playground Games one of the strongest launches in the franchise’s history.
The open-world racing game first became available in early access on May 15 for Premium Edition owners before launching globally on May 19 for Standard Edition buyers and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Shortly after the full release, Playground Games confirmed that the game had already surpassed the 6 million player milestone.
Steam Player Numbers Hit Record Highs
The game has also delivered impressive performance on Steam. According to SteamDB data, Forza Horizon 6 crossed more than 270,000 concurrent players shortly after launch and later reached a new peak of 284,139 concurrent players on May 21.
These numbers place the game far ahead of previous entries in the series. For comparison, Forza Horizon 5 peaked at around 80,000 concurrent players on Steam, while Forza Horizon 4 reached approximately 75,000 concurrent players during its peak period.
Biggest Early Access Launch in Franchise History
Xbox executive Asha Sharma described Forza Horizon 6 as the biggest early access launch the franchise has ever seen.
During the early access phase alone, the game crossed 170,000 concurrent Steam players. Player activity continued to grow after the standard edition launch, eventually pushing the peak count beyond 284,000 concurrent users.
The game also became the top-selling title globally on Steam shortly after release, further highlighting the strong launch momentum.
Critics Praise the Game
In addition to strong player numbers, Forza Horizon 6 has received highly positive reviews from critics.
The game currently holds a Metascore of 91 on Metacritic, with the majority of reviews marked positive. Several reviewers have described it as one of the most polished and visually refined entries in the series to date.
Critics have also listed it among the highest-rated game releases of 2026 so far.
Japan Setting Attracts Fans
One of the biggest highlights of Forza Horizon 6 is its Japan-inspired open world — a setting fans had requested for years.
Players can explore detailed Japanese landscapes, city environments, highways, and mountain roads while driving a wide range of licensed vehicles. The new setting has helped generate strong interest across Xbox Series X|S, PC, Xbox Game Pass, and Steam platforms.
Pricing and Availability
Forza Horizon 6 is currently available on Xbox and PC platforms.
The Standard Edition is priced at $69.99, while Deluxe and Premium editions offer additional content and bonuses. Players can also access the game through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscriptions.
