After years of requests, it’s legit – Forza Horizon 6 is coming in 2026, and it is going to be set in Japan. Introduced as of late right through the Xbox Tokyo Recreation Display 2025 Broadcast, we noticed a cinematic teaser trailer that integrated Easter eggs from every of the former video games within the open international riding sequence – earlier than providing a glimpse on the improbable international Playground Video games is growing.
In fact, a teaser trailer is at all times going to generate much more questions – and fortunately I used to be ready to move instantly to Playground Video games to get solutions. In dialogue with Artwork Director, Don Arceta and Cultural Guide, Kyoko Yamashita, we dug into precisely why Japan used to be selected as the following location to discover, how this tackle Japan will really feel like a real mirrored image of the real-life nation, and a lot more.
Why Was once Japan the Proper Have compatibility for the Subsequent Forza Horizon Recreation?
With Playground Video games ready to take their pick out of atmosphere from any place on the planet, selecting the proper location may well be observed as a problem – however, with Japan, such a lot used to be already in position.
“For a very long time, Japan has been best of Horizon fanatics’ want lists, so we’re excited to after all be bringing this much-requested location to avid gamers in Forza Horizon 6,” explains Arceta. “Japan has one of these distinctive tradition – from automobiles, to song, to style – that make it easiest for the following Horizon atmosphere. As with every Horizon identify, we need to be sure we do the rustic justice in the case of unique illustration and Horizon open international playability – and now could be the precise time to understand that absolutely for avid gamers.”
The timing is correct, partly, because of practicalities – it now feels as even though the technical aspect can stay alongside of representing Japan appropriately, and Playground’s builders additionally come armed with an enormous quantity of enjoy from earlier video games.
“The wonderful thing about Horizon video games is that all offers us learnings and techniques to make the following even larger and higher,” says Arceta. “In addition to taking participant comments under consideration, we’ve additionally been ready to lean into more effective issues – for example, the Forza Horizon 5 Sizzling Wheels DLC has helped us broaden the increased roads of Tokyo Town in FH6.”
Yamashita provides that Japan is only a naturally fascinating position to make your means round, making it a really perfect fit for the type of exploration a Horizon sport encourages: “I really like the coexistence of Japan: an area shrine beside a small workshop beside a neon arcade – conventional and fashionable at the similar block. There’s such a lot scope and inspiration to be explored with Japan, and the richness felt like a herbal are compatible for this sport.”
With Xbox going large at Tokyo Recreation Display, it additionally made it a herbal are compatible to announce the sport as of late. “Whilst fanatics had been requesting this location for a very long time, it used to be vital to us to recognize the affection and reverence we have now for Japan and its distinctive tradition,” Arceta continues. “What higher means to try this than pronouncing in Tokyo at Japan’s largest gaming tournament of the 12 months?”
What Jap Places Will Be Incorporated?
Horizon video games frequently carry out the feat of recreating a whole nation as a unmarried, seamless map. It’s by no means a one-to-one bite of the genuine international, fairly a mix of places that stability participant a laugh with shooting the spirit in their inspiration. Japan, with such a lot of numerous and acquainted places, gifts an enormous palette of chances for the crew. Whilst the teaser presentations us Mount Fuji and its environment, the place else will Playground pull from?
“Whilst we’re now not pronouncing an excessive amount of in the case of element presently, we’re excited to turn fanatics the real breadth of attractiveness – each herbal and concrete environments – that Japan has to supply,” explains Arceta. “From the neon lighting and towering structures of Tokyo Town – certainly one of our maximum detailed and layered environments thus far – to the serenity and herbal great thing about Japan’s rural and mountain spaces, we expect avid gamers can be blown away by means of the open international of Japan that we have got constructed.
“And whilst we aren’t essentially looking to recreate Japan and its environments like for like, our objective has at all times been to seize the rustic’s distinctive cultural essence and provide it again in essentially the most Horizon means imaginable.”
Analysis used to be an enormous a part of this procedure – Arceta, Yamashita, and the crew travelled to Japan to lend a hand seize main points that may not be as obtrusive when operating merely from reference subject material.
“The shuttle to Japan demonstrated that the dev crew had been in point of fact coming near Japan with the precise stage of interest and commentary,” enthuses Yamashita. “All over our fieldwork in Tokyo, lots of the crew had been first-time guests. A couple of days in, any individual mentioned, ‘For all of the power right here, it’s… quiet.’ That commentary – arranged chaos with unexpected calm – advised me they weren’t simply having a look; they had been feeling where. It’s the type of perception you’ll’t pretend, and it formed later conversations about motion, etiquette, and sound.”
