Playground Games revealed the main advantages of Forza Horizon 6 — the next part of the main racing hit will offer an open world of Japan, full-fledged multiplayer without loading screens and an advanced tuning system. Forza Horizon 6 is scheduled for release on May 19, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and a Game Pass subscription will take the project to the library on the very first day.
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Japan’s open world with seamless multiplayer in Forza Horizon 6
Japan will officially become the setting for the new part — get ready to burn rubber on narrow mountain passes, in snow-covered alpine regions and among the neon skyscrapers of Tokyo. The developers from Playground Games went all-in: now the game features full-fledged multiplayer without a lobby. All activities are seamlessly integrated into the overall map — no annoying pauses.
At launch, Forza Horizon 6 will offer a garage of over 550 vehicles. But numbers aren’t everything. The most important thing is how we will interact. The game will feature three special areas for car gatherings. These are not just points on the map, but social hubs where players can finally get out of cars. (Yes, that’s the long-awaited walking mode.)
Deep car customization: new tuning features
The customization system in Forza Horizon 6 has noticeably increased in depth — fans of the series will appreciate the attention to detail. Now you can not just glue vinyls, but apply logos and stickers directly to the glass.
Key tuning innovations:
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Different wheels: it is now possible to install different wheel models on the front and rear axles separately.
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Detailed body kits: extended customization of body elements and aerodynamics.
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Crazy swaps: subcompact engines are now officially allowed to be replaced with motorcycle units — it sounds like a recipe for the perfect drift writhe.
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Search for rarities: rare tuned copies like the McLaren 570S from Duke Dynamics are hidden in the open world, as well as unique cars (for example, the Nissan Figaro) that will have to be restored literally from photographs.
The economy of gatherings: how to buy and sell cars from players
The gathering areas in Forza Horizon 6 will become a full-fledged market. If you like someone else’s device, you can take a closer look at it, evaluate the tuning and immediately download similar settings for yourself.
Moreover, direct sales are allowed in these zones. Did you like the other participant’s car? Buy it right on the spot, along with all the modifications. This radically changes the usual Steam and Xbox auctions, making the process much more lively and social.
Such a transition to live trading inevitably raises the question of how exactly the market relations within the game will change compared to the usual mechanics of previous parts.
Direct car trading without auction: how to sell cars to players
Direct car trading in Forza Horizon 6 is a radical departure from the concept of the auction hall, familiar to us from FH5. Forget about the endless waiting for bids, 24-hour timers and extortionate auction commissions that ate up from 10% to 55% of profits. Now everything is different — in iconic locations like Daikoku Parking or Horizon Festival Park, it’s enough to approach your favorite car, scan its configuration through the inspection menu and negotiate a price in a chat. The transaction takes place instantly, and the intermediaries remain idle.
The advantages of the system in FH6 look monumental:
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Full transparency: you buy a car with all the “bells and whistles” — whether it’s vinyls on the windows, a unique engine swap from a motorcycle, or fine-tuning for the S2 class.
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No taxes: the entire amount falls clean into your pocket.
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Live test drive: you can evaluate the tuning not from the picture, but directly on the drag strip next door.
By comparison, in FH5, the auction often stifled the resale of rarities. The same rare Nissan Figaro in the Forza Edition could wait for hours for a buyer to eventually leave for next to nothing due to “snipers” interrupting the bid at the last second. Such tricks won’t work in Japan anymore.
Disadvantages of direct trading: comparison with the FH5 auction
However, there were some nuances — trading in the Forza open world has its own specific disadvantages. The main problem is the lack of global search filters (by rarity or class), which is why you will have to spend a lot of time searching for the right lot in different zones. There is a risk of running into dumping from “farmers” of loans or just from offline players. Don’t forget about the chat flood: newbies will probably spam “trade?” under every second JDM project. In the good old FH5, the Advanced gamertag Search function worked like clockwork, but here the reputation in the convoy decides everything — without it, the deal can fail at any moment.
If we make a final comparison of Forza Horizon 6 vs FH5 auction, the layout turns out to be simple. Direct sales are created for those who appreciate vibe hangouts in the open world of Japan — it’s fast, social and commission-free. The traditional auction remains the preserve of exclusive hunters like the McLaren 570S Duke Dynamics, where global coverage and filters are important, despite fees and anticipation. However, the numbers speak for themselves.: judging by the data from the forums, during the beta testing phase of Playground Games, sales increased by 40% — the players clearly voted for the “live” market.
By the way, Sony console owners will have to wait — the PlayStation 5 release is expected only towards the end of 2026. The rest of us should prepare our disk space by May — it looks like the best racing arcade game of the decade is waiting for us.
