One of the bigger changes in Forza Horizon 6 is that you start with nothing. No superstar status carried over from previous games, no instant festival pass. You land in Japan as a tourist with a dream of joining the Horizon Festival, and you have to earn your way in. Playground has detailed how that progression works, and it is more structured than anything the series has done before, while still leaving room to go completely off-script if that is more your style.
Starting From the Bottom
The shift in framing here is worth noting. In FH4 you were already a superstar. In FH5 you were a returning champion. In FH6 you are a nobody who just got off a plane. Two new characters, Mei and Jordy, are in the same position. Jordy is a motorsport enthusiast who brings the competitive angle, while Mei is an experienced Japanese car builder who gives you cultural context and regional knowledge as you work through the country. She is also the one who tips you off to Treasure Cars, which is a nice way to tie the exploration side to the main story.
The Wristband System
To join the Festival you first complete the Horizon Qualifiers and then the Horizon Invitational, earning your first Wristband. From there the progression works by completing Festival Events, PR Stunts, and Skills to push toward the next Wristband. Each new band unlocks more events around Japan, and as you climb the ranks, those events start requiring faster and more specific cars. There are seven Wristbands in total.
The car restrictions are the most interesting part of this. Festival Races require specific car types across Road, Dirt, and Cross Country events, and Hypercars are locked out entirely until you reach the Purple Wristband, which is well into the campaign. That means the early game is actually about learning and driving a variety of cars rather than just buying the fastest thing available and skipping to the end. For players who want to go fast immediately, the Discover Japan side of the game keeps that open.
Race Customizer
After you complete any Festival Event for the first time, the Race Customizer unlocks for it. You can then adjust Drivatar count up to 11, season, weather, time of day, number of laps, rewind availability, and which cars are permitted. The default setting matches the car you are currently driving, but you can pick from pre-made class restrictions or manually specify every car allowed. If you are Convoy leader, your settings apply to everyone in the group, which makes this a genuinely useful tool for setting up custom races with friends rather than just a solo option.
Horizon Rush and Showcase Events
The Wristband milestones are marked by special events. Showcase Events return, including one involving Chaser Zero, Horizon's own racing mech teased at Developer_Direct. The genuinely new addition is Horizon Rush, which is an obstacle course format where you race against the clock through a set course as fast as possible, chasing a three-star rating or a leaderboard position. Splits track your time throughout so you can see exactly where you are losing time. Confirmed locations include Tokyo City Docks, the Sotoyama Ski Resort, and the Irokawa Space Center.
Legend Island
Earn all seven Wristbands and you become a Horizon Legend, which unlocks Legend Island. This is a gated area exclusive to players who have completed the main campaign, featuring the Legend Island Circuit and unique events. The headline is the Colossus, described as the longest Goliath event the series has ever had, looping the entire map on the freeway. Playground specifically calls it the perfect place for R Class cars, so expect that to become the go-to destination for high-end time attack builds.
Discover Japan and the Collection Journal
Running parallel to the Wristband system is Discover Japan, which uses a Stamp-based progression inspired by Japan's real stamp collecting culture. Everything you do outside of Festival Events feeds into this: photography, food delivery side hustles, Horizon Stories, Touge Battles, Street Races, and collecting cars. Stamps unlock Player Houses with customizable garages, Barn Find Rumors, and The Estate, which is a mountain valley where you can build and decorate directly in the open world.
All of this feeds into the Collection Journal, which is the single place that tracks everything. Both campaign paths, your photo archive (with the option to swap in better shots as you take them), and reward redemptions for cars, credits, and cosmetics. Cross-save is also confirmed across all platforms from day one, including Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam, and PS5 later in 2026.
Release Dates
Forza Horizon 6 launches on Xbox Series X|S and PC on May 19. Premium Edition and Premium Upgrade owners get Early Access from May 15. PS5 later in 2026.