Forza Horizon 6 races ahead early

Forza Horizon 6 has reportedly crossed 500,000 pre-sold copies on Steam with about a month still to run before its full launch, a figure that, if borne out, would mark one of the strongest pre-release performances yet for a first-party Xbox racing title on Valve’s platform. The game is officially due on 19 May 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam and Game Pass, with Premium Edition buyers getting early access from 15 May, while a PlayStation 5 version is slated for later in the year. The sales claim has not been confirmed publicly by Microsoft and stems instead from games market estimates that have been picked up across specialist gaming outlets.

That distinction matters. Official channels have been clear on the release schedule, platform spread and the game’s broad commercial pitch, but not on the size of pre-orders. The reported Steam tally comes from Alinea Analytics, a market intelligence firm that says it tracks copies sold, revenue, wishlists and player activity across major platforms. Its estimate, echoed in multiple reports over the past few days, places Steam gross revenue at close to $30 million before launch, depending on edition mix and regional pricing. Even allowing for the uncertainty that comes with third-party projections, the figure has added weight to the argument that Microsoft’s push to widen access to its marquee series is paying off.

The broader strategy is visible in the game’s rollout. Microsoft and Playground Games are not treating Horizon 6 as a conventional console exclusive. It will arrive day one on Game Pass, remain available through Steam, support Xbox Play Anywhere and then expand to PS5 later in 2026. That is a notable shift for a series once used mainly as a prestige asset inside the Xbox ecosystem. By opening the door to PC storefront buyers, subscription players and, later, Sony’s audience, Microsoft is widening the funnel before launch rather than relying on one hardware base.

The setting helps explain the heat around the title. Horizon 6 takes the series to Japan, long one of the most requested locations among fans, and Playground has leaned heavily into that demand. Official materials describe the game as the biggest Horizon map yet, built around dense urban stretches, mountain roads, rural scenery and a strong emphasis on car culture. At launch, players are promised more than 550 cars, alongside returning social events and new builder tools. For a franchise whose appeal rests as much on fantasy and atmosphere as on handling models, Japan offers both a recognisable car enthusiast backdrop and a fresh visual hook after Mexico in Horizon 5.

There is also history behind the optimism. Horizon 5 became one of the biggest Xbox Game Studios launches on record, with more than 4.5 million players on its first day and more than 20 million within six months, helped by Game Pass, PC reach and cross-platform play across the Xbox family. Horizon 6 is not repeating that launch formula exactly because the market has moved on, but it is building on a proven commercial base. Steam now matters more to major publishers, day-one PC releases are no longer unusual for Xbox, and Microsoft’s willingness to place its software beyond its own console base has changed the economics of what counts as a successful launch.