The racing game community is buzzing with excitement following major leaks suggesting Forza Horizon 6 could be unveiled at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show 2025.
Multiple hints strongly indicate that the next open-world racing title will not only be announced in September, but will also be set in Japan.
The Australian Leak That Started It All
Speculation began with a now-deleted post showing a developer scanning Kei cars, a class of ultra-compact vehicles that are virtually exclusive to Japan. Kei cars have never been prominently featured in the franchise, making their inclusion a strong indicator that Forza Horizon 6 will embrace Japanese automotive culture. These small, lightweight vehicles are integral to Japan’s street racing scene and would represent a significant departure from the series’ traditional focus on supercars and muscle cars.
Tokyo Game Show 2025: The Perfect Venue
Official documents have appeared indicating that Forza Horizon 6 will be announced during Tokyo Game Show 2025, which runs from September 25-28. This timing makes perfect sense strategically—if the game is set in Japan, revealing it at Japan’s premier gaming event would be ideal for connecting with the Japanese gaming market.
The event is expected to be the largest in history, featuring thousands of booths from hundreds of exhibitors across dozens of countries. The show is the ultimate venue for showcasing a blockbuster racing game with a Japanese theme.
Release Date Targeted for 2026
While a Tokyo Game Show announcement seems imminent, the actual release date is still targeted for 2026. The series is expected to celebrate a milestone anniversary, with several iconic franchises in the spotlight. This confirms that while an announcement may come soon, players will likely have to wait until 2026 for the actual game release.
Technical Expectations and Platform Availability
Forza Horizon 6 is expected to be built on an upgraded engine used for previous generations and other leading racing titles, but with notable optimizations. This should result in significant visual improvements and position the game as the most immersive and elaborate Forza Horizon title to date in terms of gameplay systems.
The game will launch primarily on Xbox and PC, with a PlayStation 5 version following months later. There are no current plans for a Nintendo Switch version at launch.
Why Japan Makes Perfect Sense
A Japanese setting has been the most requested location by fans for years. Japan offers an incredibly diverse automotive landscape, from Tokyo’s urban street racing scene to mountain touge roads perfect for drifting, plus historic circuits and other iconic racing venues.
The country’s rich automotive culture, featuring everything from JDM legends to modern supercars, will provide an enormous variety of vehicles and racing experiences. The inclusion of Kei cars specifically suggests a focus on authentic representation of Japanese car culture.
What This Means for the Franchise
If confirmed, Forza Horizon 6 would mark a significant gap since the previous entry, with extended development time suggesting the studio is taking extra care to deliver something special.
The Japan setting would also represent a strategic move to strengthen the franchise’s presence in the Asian gaming market. Announcing the game at Tokyo Game Show would demonstrate a commitment to Japanese fans.
The Countdown Begins
With the Tokyo Game Show 2025 just weeks away, racing fans won’t have to wait long to see if these leaks prove accurate. The combination of multiple credible hints, physical evidence from the car scanning, and a confirmed presence at the event makes a September announcement increasingly likely.
Whether Forza Horizon 6 lives up to the hype of being the series’ most ambitious entry yet remains to be seen, but all signs point to an official reveal that could happen as early as late September 2025. For now, fans can only wait and hope that their long-requested journey to Japan is finally about to become reality.
