Why is the Upcoming Racing Game Forza Horizon 6 Getting So Much Hype?
Racing video games have been around for decades, but it’d be fair to say that they don’t get as much hype or aren’t as highly anticipated as most other genres.
There may be a certain Nintendo-owned exception to this rule, but even then, it’s often included in the new console bundles.
Yet, most recently, it was revealed that the Forza Horizon series is closing in on its sixth instalment. Given the state of their exclusive catalogue – or lack thereof – this was huge news for Xbox, but the excitement for Forza Horizon 6 goes far beyond Xbox players finally getting a new game worthy of their console investment.
Free Roaming for Your Own Road Trip with Some Races Too
Arriving in 2026, the setting for Forza Horizon 6 is a huge selling point. The teaser trailer above showcases us the surroundings of Mount Fuji, but developers also say that the game will have players driving around the neon-lit Tokyo City and further into its rural surroundings. Japan alone isn’t the cause for the hype, though.
This is much more down to the freedom and incredible environments that have been made in the previous games, which ventured to the UK, Australia, and Mexico. While ostensibly a racing game, it’s Forza Horizon’s ability to inspire the sense of excitement for a road trip that has the sixth game so eagerly anticipated.
In film, the road trip genre has long been a favourite. With very different takes, Thelma & Louise, Last Orders, Logan, Green Book, Mad Max: Fury Road, Nomadland, and Drive My Car have all brought superb stories to the screen through the road trip road map. Beyond film, different kinds of games have followed suit.
This is even to the extent that the array of popular and new slots and games online features a road trip game. Road Trip 66 is your classic American West journey through the desert to the glitz of a certain Nevada city on the horizon. In video gaming, though, of the many entries, it’s Forza Horizon that stands as the best road trip game.
Coming to Other Platforms, Eventually
One of the biggest catalysts for excitement around Forza Horizon 6 is that PlayStation owners will also get to jump into the action. Earlier this year, Xbox tested the waters by making Forza Horizon 5 the first in the series to port to the PlayStation console family. Swiftly, it became the best-selling game of the console this year.
Xbox has set about same-day releases on PS5 a couple of times this year, including with Outer Worlds 2 and Doom: The Dark Ages. However, for some reason, they’re set to hold back Forza Horizon 6 for a bit. It’ll arrive on PC and Xbox in 2026, and then the team with look to bring it to the PlayStation 5 post-launch.
Given the expansive nature and replayability of the series, PlayStation owners won’t feel hard done by with this announcement. After all, they’ve only had a handful of months to play the full-priced recent release of FH5, while Xbox players have had the game since 2021. So, waiting a little longer won’t simmer the hype very much.
Deservedly, one of Xbox’s reliable exclusive IPs is getting a tremendous amount of buzz with the mere announcement of its next arrival. Combining customisation, high-speed thrills, and the ever-popular road trip experience, Forza Horizon 6 looks set to do very well when it lands in 2026.
