The Forza Horizon series has always been a playground for car enthusiasts dreaming of endless open-world racing. But, fans have grown vocal about what’s lacking: worthwhile progression, a better setting, and deeper personalisation options.
Yesterday’s Xbox Developer Direct released the first gameplay trailer for Forza Horizon 6, and it’s a love letter to the fans. The trailer reveals a Japan-set epic with 550 cars, the series’ largest map, and features shouting “we listened.” From wristband progression that fixes early-game bloat in FH4 and FH5 to Touge Battles channeling Initial D vibes, Playground Games is finally implementing what the fanbase has begged for.
A Better Progression System
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The most common complaint with FH4 and FH5 was that the progression felt meaningless. You could unlock top-tier cars very shortly into the game, leaving little motivation to grind. As a result, fans craved a structured climb that actually rewards exploration and skill.
Now, with Forza Horizon 6’s revamped campaign, you start as a tourist hitting Japan for the Horizon festival. You must qualify via the Horizon Invitational, racing in qualifiers, and completing showcase courses like Tokyo Docks’ Horizon Rush.
Victory earns wristbands, a popular mechanic making its return from the original Horizon, tied to vehicle classes. Bronze for D-class, silver for mid-tier machines, gold for S1 elites, each needing wins in progressively difficult races and milestones. The most premium, gold wristband unlocks a Legend Island, a premium zone packed with exclusive events.
The Land Of The Rising Sun
Japan has always been on the wishlist of Forza players since FH2, with fans flooding reviews, asking for the JDM heartland: neon-lit streets, mountain touge, and kei car chaos. It looks like Playground Games noticed the forums and threads, delivering Horizon’s largest map yet. A flawless blend of rural serenity, Mount Fuji vistas, and Tokyo, now apparently five times larger than previous cities.
Trailer glimpses scream originality: C1 Loop highway blasts, Ginkgo Avenue cruises, and Bundai docks. The zigzag Mt. Haruna passes hint at Fujimi Kaido-style touge runs, a legendary fiction circuit from Initial D dreams. Midnight Tokyo vibes can be felt from the showcased nighttime urban drifts, a part that should be honored properly to completely represent Japan’s racing culture.
It’s not a one-to-one replica but a “lived-in” Japan representing underground car culture from kei vans to aftermarket bargains parked curbside.
The Estate
Player houses in previous releases were useful for fast travel, but were overall underwhelming for flexing collections. Fans wanted a dream garage that could hold their extensive collection, while simultaneously being a place for digital meetups with friends.
Forza Horizon 6 elevates this idea with The Estate: an overgrown Akiya-style mountain valley you claim (abandoned rural homes), and renovate with race-earned credits to transform into a dynamic showcase.
You can build tracks, hideaways, or sprawling lots in the open world; friends visit multiplayer through Horizon Co-lab. Accompanying this are eight available player houses, like lucky-numbered Tokyo Docks pads, with customisable garages for tunes, liveries, and decor.
Car Meets, Touge Battles, And Technical Upgrades
Car meets and mountain duels are an important part of the Japanese car culture. This game nails it by hosting permanent Car Meets at Festival grounds, Okuibuki Alps, and Daikoku brings forth organic hangs. You get the chance to show off rides, download liveries/tunes, obtain showcase machines, then queue street races or nighttime Touge Battles down Japanese passes.
By the looks of it, it’s peak Forza Horizon: 550 cars, Forza Aero kits, window tints, cosmetic tire wear tracking, mileage on touge tarmac. Adding to this, a full 540-degree steering wheel animation during rotation delivers precisely what racing geeks asked for. There’s a lot to look forward to, and coming from someone who lives and breathes racing games, Forza Horizon 6 has all the elements needed to be a banger.
