Fans have always imagined the open-world racing series, Horizon Festival, to be racing through the neon streets of Tokyo and taking on the steep touge passes in the countryside of Japan. Based on some clues we received from a diecast car, it appears that this dream we have for racing in Japan may soon come to fruition, in Forza Horizon 6.
The Buzz is Building on a Japan Reveal at TGS 2025
Industry sources have stated that there will (possibly) be a reveal for Forza Horizon 6 at the Tokyo Game Show 2025, and that Japan is a great metaphorical and practical place to kick off the game. There was an Instagram post by an Australian car import business (which is now deleted) called Cult & Classic that had a picture of a Playground Games’ developer scanning a Kei car (which are uniquely Japanese vehicles). The speculation and chatter was just insane based on the potential game setting.
Windows Central, and confirming the speculation, reported, that based on the documents and conversations happening within, there is a pitched (potential) Forza reveal in Japan; all of this was disregarded when Atari did the showcase based on the Reggie Fils-Aimé themed odyssey.
Why Japan Is the Ideal Playground
• Car culture & variety – Japan has some of the highest regarded car brands, Nissan, Toyota, Honda etc., along with all the famous JDM cars. Now layer on top of that the bright neon cities and rural touge roads, and you have a car and speed enthusiasts’ dream.
• Untapped terrain – FH has been to North America, Europe, Australia, the UK, and Mexico, but to my knowledge, there has never been any visitation to any part of Asia. Japan has incredible geographical diversity with everything from mountain passes to city streets.
• Fans have asked for this – There has always been fan sustained demand for a Japan map-from the recent FH5 JDM DLC- that made it even larger.
What the Rumors Tell Us
| Feature | Speculated Details |
| Reveal Timing | Likely debut at Tokyo Game Show (Sept 2025) |
| Setting | Japan—confirmed by leaked Kei car scans and insider reports |
| Engine & Tech | Built on upgraded ForzaTech (from Forza Motorsport 2023 / Fable reboot) |
| Platforms | Xbox Series X |
| Release Window | Expected Fall 2026 |
What fans are excited for
• The return of Fujimi Kaido: Playground recently added Fujimi Kaido as an FH5 event and hinted at expanding the Japanese map they created.
• More JDM cars and tuning: Who has lots of JDM cars, custom aftermarket tuning, ECM tuning, body kits, etc. and more cars is all speculation at this point, but are assumed.
• Awesome live features: Probably persistent online worlds, live club events, co-op Horizon Stories, and loads more to continue to explore with a large Japanese setting.
Response from the community
The Reddit threads were mixed with hesitation and exhilaration. One user expressed how one could imagine cherry blossoms, traditional homes, rice paddies, castles, as well as the neon streets of Tokyo– over all the seasons.
One user even cited real-world problems– it’s one too narrow and rural for anything mass-race standard, it would involve heavy regulation of car licencing for Japan, and so on. However, the idea of stylized or otherwise inspired representation still conjures interest!
One user even produced a conceptual “Hokkaido” map with their own mash-up of mountaintops, industrial ports, snow-covered land–similarly to perhaps what makes Japan interesting for some Horizon.
Potential causes for this to be the largest Horizon yet
1. Technology advancements: With the horizon postURED with engine upgrades, will we see GPT imagined visual technology, ray tracing, weather events, physics improvements etc?
2. New place: Japan has some unique biomes and cultures, so you could pull locations that have never been done in Horizon or at least prior installments.
3. Community will: It feels like years of suggesting to have a Horizon meet, but this is a community that is more ready and willing to share their current ideas without any suggestions to aid.
4. Exhibition venue of analysis: TGS is a cultural and gaming presence for existing and future Asian audience to educate and present as representation of the gaming industry.
Final Thoughts
The possibility machine seems to be on fire with possibility. Forza Horizon 6 is probably closer than people think – fairly sure it will be revealed at TGS 2025, Japan’s diverse and definitive landscapes, reaching out on engine projects related to future engine use to be released on Xbox and PC 2026 Fall.