Playground Games’ open-world racer takes you across a stunning recreation of Japan, and the wait is nearly over. Whether you are grabbing the Premium Edition to jump in early or planning to hop in on launch day via Game Pass, here is everything you need to know about when Forza Horizon 6 unlocks and how to get in as soon as possible.
Forza Horizon 6 Release Dates at a Glance
Forza Horizon 6 does not have a single release date. The rollout is split across two access windows depending on which edition you own:
| Edition | Release Date | Price |
| Premium Edition (Early Access) | May 15, 2026 | $89.99 |
| Standard Edition | May 19, 2026 | $59.99 |
| Premium Upgrade (add-on) | May 15, 2026 (Early Access) | $60 |
Forza Horizon 6 launches on Xbox Series X|S and PC (via Steam and the Microsoft Store). A PS5 version is confirmed but arrives later in 2026. Notably, Forza Horizon 6 is the first entry in the Horizon series to skip Xbox One entirely since the original game launched on Xbox 360.
What Platforms Is Forza Horizon 6 On?
Forza Horizon 6 launches on the following platforms:
- Xbox Series X|S
- PC (Steam and Microsoft Store)
- PS5 (later in 2026)
- Xbox Cloud Gaming (for Xbox One players via a strong internet connection)
Forza Horizon 6 also carries the Xbox Play Anywhere designation, so if you buy it digitally, you get access on both Xbox and PC under the same purchase. Additionally, Playground Games confirmed that the game is Verified on Steam Deck, as well as on the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X.
Is Forza Horizon 6 on Game Pass?
Yes. The Standard Edition of Forza Horizon 6 is available at no additional cost for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members from May 19. However, it will not be available on Game Pass Essential, the Starter tier, or the standard Game Pass Essential plan.
Game Pass members who want to jump in four days early can purchase the Premium Upgrade for $60, which grants early access from May 15 alongside the additional content listed below.
Early Access: What You Get and How to Unlock It
Early access to Forza Horizon 6 begins on May 15, 2026, and requires either the Premium Edition ($89.99) or the Premium Upgrade add-on ($60). Both options grant you four days of early access plus a substantial bundle of extra content:
- VIP Membership (2x Credit boost on race rewards, weekly Super Wheelspin, exclusive vanity items, and 3 Forza Edition cars)
- Welcome Pack (5 pre-tuned cars plus an Autoshow Car Voucher and 3 clothing item tickets)
- Time Attack Car Pack (8 track-focused cars including classic Honda and Nissan WTAC entries)
- Car Pass (30 cars delivered weekly starting May 19)
- Italian Passion Car Pack (arriving at a later date)
- Two Premium Expansions (arriving at a later date)
Players who purchase Forza Horizon 6 before the official May 19 release date also receive an exclusive pre-tuned Ferrari J50 as a bonus.
Forza Horizon 6 Global Release Times
Release times differ between Xbox and PC (Steam), so it is worth checking the right column for your platform.
Early Access (May 14-15, 2026)
| Time Zone | Xbox Early Access | Steam Early Access |
| PT (Seattle) | May 14 – 9:01 PM | May 14 – 9:01 PM |
| CST (Mexico City) | May 14 – 11:01 PM | May 14 – 11:01 PM |
| ET (New York) | May 15 – 12:01 AM | May 15 – 12:01 AM |
| BST (London) | May 15 – 12:01 AM | May 15 – 5:01 AM |
| CEST (Paris) | May 15 – 12:01 AM | May 15 – 6:01 AM |
| JST (Tokyo) | May 15 – 12:01 AM | May 15 – 1:01 PM |
| KST (Seoul) | May 15 – 12:01 AM | May 15 – 1:01 PM |
| AEST (Sydney) | May 15 – 12:01 AM | May 15 – 2:01 PM |
| NZST (Auckland) | May 15 – 12:01 AM | May 15 – 4:01 PM |
Standard Launch (May 18-19, 2026)
| Time Zone | Xbox Launch | Steam Launch |
| PT (Seattle) | May 18 – 9:01 PM | May 18 – 9:01 PM |
| CST (Mexico City) | May 18 – 11:01 PM | May 18 – 11:01 PM |
| ET (New York) | May 19 – 12:01 AM | May 19 – 12:01 AM |
| BST (London) | May 19 – 12:01 AM | May 19 – 5:01 AM |
| CEST (Paris) | May 19 – 12:01 AM | May 19 – 6:01 AM |
| JST (Tokyo) | May 19 – 12:01 AM | May 19 – 1:01 PM |
| KST (Seoul) | May 19 – 12:01 AM | May 19 – 1:01 PM |
| AEST (Sydney) | May 19 – 12:01 AM | May 19 – 2:01 PM |
| NZST (Auckland) | May 19 – 12:01 AM | May 19 – 4:01 PM |
One important note for Steam players: unlike the Xbox version, which unlocks at midnight in each local time zone, the Steam release follows a single global unlock tied to the US Eastern time zone. This means players in the UK, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region will see notably later unlock times on PC compared to their Xbox counterparts.
Download Size and Preload
Preloading for Forza Horizon 6 went live on May 12, 2026, across all platforms. Everyone who preordered the game or holds an active Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscription can preload right now.
| Platform | File Size |
| Xbox Series X | 135 GB |
| Xbox Series S | 130 GB |
| PC (SSD required) | 160 GB |
Note that an SSD is required for the PC version. Given the file sizes involved, starting your preload well in advance is strongly recommended to avoid any delays when the game unlocks.
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