Forza Horizon 6 Initial Drive Trailer Captures an Epic Opening Drive Across Japan with In-Game Footage

The just released in-game footage of Forza Horizon 6’s initial drive sequence isn’t messing around. You’re immediately thrust into high-speed pursuits alongside a bullet train on a roadway adorned with cherry blossoms and the distant shape of Mount Fuji. A Polaris RZR Pro 4 truck blasts itself over gigantic off-road jumps, while jets and helicopters fly overhead over the icy mountain passes. The sequence then progresses to precise drifts in a Porsche 911 GT2 as you carve up the twisty touge paths, culminating in an all-out sprint with the cover vehicle, the 2025 Toyota GR GT Prototype.

Following that prologue, you can use the preview builds to create extended sessions that include structured races with plenty of freedom to roam around wherever you choose. The early qualifications are rather simple, with only three events to get you started utilizing cars provided by the game: a modified Nissan Silvia K’s for road racing, a 1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four for rallying, and a 1970 GMC Jimmy jacked up for off-road expeditions. As you level up, wristbands you collect indicate your progress through the automobile classes, essentially guiding you from complete novice to full admission to the festival without overloading you with a million options at away. Meanwhile, there are grassroots circuits all over the world that allow you to simply drive up in any car for a time attack or some local battles.

Tokyo is a standout on the map, with its tight alleyways, multi-level freeways, and nighttime illumination of sites such as Shibuya Crossing and Tokyo Tower. Then there’s the northern mountain ranges, where gentle snowfall on the green slopes and blossom-covered roads opens up to these breathtaking views of the entire country from far above. Of course, the rural villages, woodland shrines, and dockside container yards all combine to fill in the gaps, resulting in a connected landscape that rewards you as much for leisurely driving as it does for competitive driving. Over 550 cars are released, including Japanese models at the forefront, as well as all of the insane Forza Edition versions that just improve the performance of all regular cars.

You never know what you’ll find when you start exploring, as roadside parking spaces can include all sorts of amazing aftermarket vehicles, already outfitted with body kits or tuned parts and ready to go. Then there’s the personal estate in the mountains, which you can use as a base and decorate with buildings and garages inspired by community designs. When it comes to the seasons, they just cycle through like they do in the other entries, which means that the activities and road conditions are all refreshed, but the festival atmosphere remains vibrant thanks to all of the organized barriers, marshals, and volunteer crews.

Touge clashes provide some intense rivalry on the beautifully small mountain roads, and Horizon CoLab allows players to form groups and create and share their own bespoke events in real time. Car meetings are typically held at gas stations or multi-story parking lots, which are ideal for co-op runs or simply hanging out with friends. Accessibility is prioritized, with high-contrast modes, proximity radar, and other features to ensure that everyone can participate and have fun. On PC, you receive the complete treatment, including ray-traced global illumination and reflections; on consoles, quality and performance are balanced for consistent as-you-go frame rates.

The game will be available for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC on May 19th through the Microsoft Store and Steam, with the premium edition arriving a few days earlier. PS5 support arrives later this year. According to previews, this game has toned down some of the more out-there elements from the previous game, allowing the magic of the roads and cars to shine through, resulting in an opening drive that grabs you and an open world that makes you want to keep coming back for more.