Is Forza Horizon 6 Still Worth Playing in 2026?

Forza Horizon 6 is the sixth Forza Horizon title, developed by Playground Games and set in Japan, and it holds roughly 25,600 average daily Steam players against a launch peak of 301,394. Forza Horizon 6 is worth playing in 2026 for three player types and not worth playing for two. The sections below cover the player count month by month, what critics and players think, which of the three editions to buy, how the game has changed since launch, whether multiplayer still fills, and who should buy or skip it.

📊 How many people play Forza Horizon 6?

Forza Horizon 6 averages 25,573 daily concurrent Steam players across the last 30 days to 9 August 2026, down from a launch peak of 301,394 in May. The Steam figure excludes Xbox and Game Pass players, who are not publicly reported.

Steam concurrent players by month since launch are listed below.

July recorded the steepest single-month fall at 63.0 percent, marginally steeper than June's 60.6 percent. The rolling 30-day average now sits close to the July average, which indicates the population is stabilising rather than continuing to collapse. Players who stop playing in month two are normal for the series, not evidence that FH6 failed.

FH5 sets the precedent. It peaked at 81,096 concurrent Steam players in November 2021, shed roughly 60 percent within a month, then reached 50 million players across all platforms and sold over five million copies on PlayStation 5. The newer title launched almost four times higher than FH5. Long-time Forza players recognise this curve from previous games: past titles shed most of their launch audience inside one month, then settled into a stable long-tail population, with temporary spikes at expansion and Series launches rather than a return to launch numbers. Our FH6 versus FH5 comparison covers the map, progression and economy differences in full.

Steam represents a minority of the total population. The game launched day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass and runs on Xbox Series X and Series S, and none of those players appear in Steam charts. Playground Games announced more than 6 million players across PC, Xbox and Game Pass within two days of full launch, against a Steam peak of roughly 300,000 concurrent, which shows how little of the audience the Steam chart captures.

⭐ What do critics and players think of the game?

Forza Horizon 6 launched to a Metascore of 92, now settled at 90, and holds an 83 percent Steam rating across more than 92,000 reviews as of August 2026. Critics praise the Japan setting and its dense road network; the most common criticism is that the game refines rather than reinvents.

Playground has not published a square-kilometre figure for the Japan map, but the in-game Discover Japan counter lists 671 drivable roads against 578 in FH5, about 16 percent more road to find, and Tokyo City is a far denser built-up area than anything in FH5. Reworked exhaust audio and denser road detail raise the immersive quality of open-world driving.

The game contains over 550 cars. Players modify almost all of them through brake upgrades, engine swaps, and custom decals in the garage, and the in-car steering animation now sweeps up to 540 degrees depending on the car. Touge racing is a new event mode built around Japanese car culture, Drag Racing Events return alongside it, and drift scoring operates around mountain passes. Everything happens in Japan, and players arrive at the Horizon Festival as newcomers rather than established legends.

The AI Drivatars remain uneven. AI opponents carry unrealistic grip through tight touge corners, a frequently raised complaint since launch, though build 398.92.0 improved corner behaviour in July. Our full review examines the handling model and event design in detail.

💰 Which edition gives the best value?

Deluxe at 99.99 dollars gives the best value for most players in 2026. Premium at 119.99 dollars now excludes early access, which has passed, leaving VIP, two expansions and two car packs as its remaining advantage.

The three editions and their inclusions are compared below.

VIP membership gives a slightly increased income on race payouts, delivers a weekly Super Wheelspin, and grants exclusive Forza Edition cars. It rewards players who play a lot. Across several hundred hours that income multiplier compounds. Across twenty hours it barely registers. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass both include the Standard tier at no additional cost.

🔄 How has the game changed since launch?

Forza Horizon 6 has run three Festival Playlist Series since launch, reworked its Auction House pricing in July 2026, and removed AFK Auto Drive credit farming in build 398.92.0.

Series 3, titled Italian Exotics, went live on 16 July 2026. Each Series runs four weekly seasons and distributes approximately ten reward cars. Missed reward cars return through the Aftermarket Cars rotation, a departure from FH5 where seasonal cars were often lost permanently.

The July 2026 economy rework removed the individual price caps on non-Autoshow rare cars. The 20 million credit buy-it-now ceiling was already in place and did not change. Rare cars now reach genuine market value rather than sitting artificially cheap, which raised the practical value of credits. Players seeking specific high-value vehicles can buy credits rather than farming for them across multiple Series.

Build 398.92.0 wiped every Rivals leaderboard, patched out AFK Auto Drive farming, and fixed the LINK Clean Sweep skill bug. Credit strategies built on any of those methods no longer function.

🌐 Is multiplayer still active?

Multiplayer remains active in 2026. Horizon Open lobbies fill during evenings and weekends across a shared Xbox and PC cross-play pool, though weekday morning matchmaking runs slower in smaller regions.

Xbox and PC share a single cross-play matchmaking pool, so the population is not split by platform. Daikoku Parking Area is one of three permanent Car Meet locations and remains the busiest.

The Auction House carries enough liquidity for reliable buying and selling. Our drivers have observed that players list rare cars too early since the July rework. Prices are still settling, and holding a genuinely scarce car for several weeks has returned more than listing it on discovery day.

✅ Who should buy it in 2026?

Three player types should buy it in 2026: players new to the series, players who stopped after launch week, and PlayStation 5 owners who can start on PC or Xbox and cross-save later.

Players who have never played Forza games get a finished, highly rated open-world racer containing three Series of content. The reduced player count does not affect the single-player campaign. Players who like car games such as Burnout Paradise will recognise the structure: explore and race freely, drive around at your own pace, win cars, and build a garage over time. Anyone who reads the player numbers and starts to hesitate to buy should note that the campaign is unaffected by them.

Anyone who wants to try FH6 without committing to a purchase can play through Game Pass first. Players who love the map after a few hours can then buy the tier matching how much time they expect to play.

Players returning after launch week face a changed economy. Farming methods from May are patched, and two Series of reward cars sit in the Aftermarket Cars rotation. The most common mistake our team sees is a returning player repeating a May credit route that build 398.92.0 already closed, then concluding the economy is broken. It is not broken. It changed.

Returning players should also check their stamp tier before hunting collectibles. The game gates its 15 barn finds behind Discover Japan Explorer Stamp tiers rather than behind the Festival wristbands. Driving to a barn location below the required tier returns nothing, and Explorer Stamps accumulate fastest through Horizon Stories rather than through racing. Players wanting the collection without the tier grind can buy rare cars directly.

PlayStation 5 owners lose nothing by starting now on PC or Xbox. Cross-save operates between Xbox and PC today, and the PS5 version joins that system on release in the second half of 2026.

❌ Who should not buy it?

Two player types should not buy this game: players who want a hardcore racing simulator, and players who only play weekday off-peak hours in small regions and buy primarily for multiplayer.

The handling model is arcade-leaning with sim-adjacent physics. The steering model is forgiving by design. Assetto Corsa Competizione and iRacing serve simulation-focused players better.

Off-peak multiplayer in smaller regions produces slower matchmaking. The population supports reliable lobbies at peak hours, but no longer at launch density.

⏱️ How do you catch up on missed content?

Missed Festival Playlist cars return through the Aftermarket Cars rotation. Barn finds unlock by raising the Discover Japan Explorer Stamp tier, which rises fastest through Horizon Stories rather than through racing events.

ℹ️ Is Forza Horizon 6 worth it? Common questions

Answers below cover player numbers, edition value, Game Pass availability and the PlayStation 5 release window.

Is it dead?
No. The game averaged 25,573 concurrent Steam players across the last 30 days and peaked at 56,660, alongside a larger unreported Game Pass and Xbox audience.

How many people play it?
The game averages 25,573 daily concurrent Steam players across the last 30 days, with peak activity of 56,660. Totals across all platforms are higher but unpublished.

Why did it lose so many players?
Standard post-launch decline following the FH5 curve. July fell 63.0 percent, coinciding with build 398.92.0 removing several credit farming methods. The rolling 30-day average now sits close to the July average.

Is Forza Horizon 6 better than 5?
The map, graphics and event variety exceed FH5. Touge racing and cross-save are new. Players who have played Forza before and disliked the FH5 formula will find the same formula here. Whether the sequel is worth buying depends on that. Players who want to try before committing have Game Pass.

Is Premium Edition worth it?
Premium suits players expecting several hundred hours. Early access has passed, leaving VIP membership, two expansions and two car packs as its value. Deluxe suits most players better.

Is it on Game Pass?
Yes. It launched day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass and remains available on both.

When is it coming to PS5?
Playground Games has confirmed the second half of 2026. No specific date has been announced as of August 2026.