The Forza Horizon franchise is finally going to Japan. Forza Horizon 6 will launch on the Xbox Series X/S console and PCs sometime next year, bringing the lifestyle racing game to the much-requested country.
“Japan has such a unique culture—from cars, to music, to fashion—that makes it perfect for the next Horizon setting,” said Playground Games’ art director Don Arceta.
The studio shared a teaser video announcing the game and its location, with Easter Eggs from the previous Horizon installments scattered throughout, before concluding with a shot of Mt. Fuji framed by cherry blossom trees. However, Playground Games isn’t ready to reveal much beyond that.
The game will feature a variety of Japanese locales blended into a single map, which will feature season changes that the series is now famous for. Players will be able to explore Tokyo City, “one of our most detailed and layered environments to date,” according to Arceta, rural countrysides, and mountain areas.
“We think players will be blown away by the open world of Japan that we have built,” he added.
It won’t be a one-for-one recreation, FH locales never are, but the studio’s goal “has always been to capture the country’s unique cultural essence and present it back in the most Horizon way possible.” Playground games even hired Cultural Consultant Kyoko Yamashita to ensure the studio correctly captures the tiniest details.
“For locals and people who know Japan well, my hope is recognition: ‘Yes, that’s how it flows,'” said Yamashita. “Getting that balance right is a way of honoring the culture and the community that loves it.”
We also don’t know what cars will be available, but we expect Kei cars, drift machines, and a wide range of classic Japanese racing machines, alongside the expansive list of makes and models the series is famous for.
Forza Horizon 6 hits PC and Xbox consoles sometime next year, and it’ll be available through Game Pass. Playground Studios also plans to bring FH6 to the PlayStation 5 with the help of Turn 10 Studios, the maker of the Forza Motorsport franchise.
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