Forza Horizon 6 Release Date Leaks Early via In-Game Pop-Up
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
An in-game pop-up in Forza Horizon 5 has seemingly leaked Forza Horizon 6, pointing to a May 19 release date, a massive Japan-based open world, and over 550 launch cars ahead of next week's official Xbox Developer Direct.
An accidental in-game pop-up inside Forza Horizon 5 has seemingly blown the lid off Playground Games' release schedule. Spotted by social media user XBOX INFINITE and highlighted by Xbox Era, an unexpected promotional screen appeared for players leaving their garages, pointing to a May launch for the highly anticipated Japan-set sequel. According to the leaked screen, the standard edition is slated to drop on May 19, 2026, with the Premium Edition offering early access starting May 15.
Beyond the release window, the leak outlines some hefty numbers for the upcoming festival. Players can expect over 550 real-world vehicles at launch alongside the largest open-world map in the franchise's history. Pre-order incentives reportedly include an exclusive pre-tuned Ferrari J50, while the Premium tier bundles in the usual suite of post-launch extras including a VIP membership, a car pass, and two major expansions. Xbox and Playground Games are keeping quiet for now, though a dedicated Developer Direct stream next week promises an official deep dive into the title.
While the leak points to an initial rollout on PC and Xbox Series X/S, the long-term platform strategy remains worth watching. Given how strongly past platform boundaries are shifting and the massive success of previous entries on competing hardware, many players are already speculating about an eventual PlayStation 5 port. For now, we will have to wait for official confirmation during next week's broadcast to see if May really is the month we finally hit the streets of Japan.
Tags: Forza Horizon 6, Xbox, Playground Games, PC Gaming, Gaming Leaks
Original article: Eurogamer