Playground Games takes the series somewhere it was always meant to go. When someone brings up Forza Horizon, a few things immediately come to mind. Playground Games’ ability to build vast open worlds, the series’ constant balancing act between arcade accessibility and driving depth, and that unmistakable festival atmosphere that ties everything together. It’s a formula that has worked for years, but also one that has started to feel familiar in ways that are difficult to ignore.
That’s what made the shift to Japan in Forza Horizon 6 feel important even before getting hands-on with it.
After spending time with the preview build, it’s clear that Playground Games understands what this setting means, not just visually, but structurally. This isn’t simply Horizon transplanted into a new location. There’s a noticeable effort to rethink how the experience unfolds, even if the core of it still feels very much like Horizon.
Forza Horizon 6 opens in a way that feels more restrained compared to previous entries. Instead of dropping you into a high-energy spectacle filled with explosions and scripted moments, the introduction is more focused on arrival and orientation. You’re stepping into a world that already exists, rather than being immediately thrown into its biggest moments. That change in tone helps establish a stronger sense of place.
There’s also an interesting contrast when you think back to Forza Horizon 5. That game leaned heavily on scale and spectacle, with wide open roads that encouraged speed and constant movement. From what I’ve played so far, Horizon 6 feels more deliberate in how it uses its space. The roads aren’t just there to be driven through quickly. They ask a bit more from you, especially in tighter sections like the mountain passes, where the margin for error is noticeably smaller. It’s not a complete departure from what came before, but it does feel like the series is trying to shift the focus slightly from freedom to control, at least in the early hours.
The biggest strength of the preview build is the map itself. Japan has been one of the most requested settings for years, and it doesn’t take long to understand why. The road design feels more intentional than in previous entries. Instead of simply offering variety, the game leans into contrast. You move from wide, flowing highways to dense urban streets, then into tight mountain passes that demand a completely different approach.
The mountain roads, in particular, stand out. These aren’t just scenic routes. They’re technical, with sharp turns and elevation changes that force you to slow down and actually engage with the driving model. It’s the kind of design that rewards attention rather than speed alone.
Urban areas, especially Tokyo, feel like a major step forward for the series. The scale is immediately noticeable. It’s not just larger, it’s denser, more layered, and more believable as a living space rather than a racing playground. There’s a level of detail here that makes the city feel less like a backdrop and more like an actual place you’re passing through.
The Horizon Festival is still here, but it no longer feels like the only thing driving the experience. There’s a growing sense that you’re part of something larger, where organized events and more grassroots racing culture exist side by side. That dual structure becomes more apparent as you start to move through the game’s opening hours.
What’s interesting this time around also is how the game structures its progression. The traditional Horizon Festival experience is still present, with its familiar lineup of races, challenges, and PR stunts. At the same time, there’s a second layer built around more localized, grounded racing. Grassroots circuits and touge-style events give the game a different kind of energy, one that feels closer to street racing culture than the polished spectacle of the festival. That split creates a more varied rhythm.
Instead of everything feeding into a single progression path, you’re moving between two identities. One is the global, high-production Horizon experience. The other is smaller, more focused, and more tied to the environment itself. It’s not a complete reinvention, but it does make the structure feel less predictable.
Exploration has always been part of Horizon, but it feels more meaningful here. There are still the usual distractions scattered across the map, but the way they’re placed feels more deliberate. Collectibles, including new regional mascot items, are integrated into the environment in ways that encourage you to look around rather than simply follow markers.
There’s also a new convenience feature in the form of an auto-drive system, which allows you to let the game handle navigation while you take in the scenery. It’s a small addition, but it fits the tone of this version of Forza Horizon.
There’s also the expectation that comes with setting a Horizon game in Japan, especially for players who grew up around car culture or even just watched something like Tokyo Drift and imagined what that kind of driving would feel like in a game like this. The idea of weaving through neon-lit city streets, drifting through tight mountain roads, and building a garage around iconic JDM cars is part of the appeal whether the game explicitly leans into it or not. From what I’ve seen so far, Horizon 6 at least understands that expectation. The road design, particularly in the mountain regions, naturally supports that style of driving, even if the preview build doesn’t fully showcase how deep the car culture side of things will go.
Once you’re behind the wheel, it’s unmistakably Horizon. Cars are responsive, handling is accessible, and the balance between arcade and simulation remains intact. If you’ve played previous entries, you’ll settle into it almost immediately.
What feels different is how the environment interacts with that driving. The tighter roads, especially in mountain regions, demand more precision. You can’t rely on wide margins for error the same way you could before. After a few hours with the preview build, Forza Horizon 6 feels like a game that understands both its strengths and its limitations.
The setting does a lot of the heavy lifting, and it does it well. Japan isn’t just visually appealing, it actively changes how you approach driving and exploration. The introduction of more grounded racing alongside the traditional festival structure adds variety, even if the overall formula remains familiar.
At the same time, it’s hard to ignore how much of that formula is still intact. This isn’t a complete overhaul of the series. It’s a refinement, one that leans heavily on its setting to create a sense of freshness. For now, though, it’s clear that Forza Horizon 6 isn’t just another stop on the same road. It’s at least trying to take a different route.
