Forza Horizon 6 has reportedly become the biggest launch in the history of the Horizon series, setting a brand-new player record shortly after release.
According to the latest figures, the game reached more than 8.7 million players within its first week, surpassing every previous entry in the franchise. The numbers reportedly include players across Xbox, PC, and Game Pass, showing just how massive the launch has been for the racing title.
The game’s strong performance had already been hinted at before release. Steam pre-orders reportedly crossed 500,000 copies, while early access activity also generated huge player numbers leading into launch week. Combined with its Game Pass availability, the title quickly exploded in popularity after release.
One of the biggest reasons behind the success appears to be the game’s Japan-inspired setting, which had been requested by fans for years. The new map, expanded car roster, visual upgrades, and improved online systems also helped build momentum leading up to launch.
The launch hasn’t been completely smooth, however. In recent days, the game was also affected by a major leak involving over 155 GB of files appearing online ahead of release. Despite that situation, player interest remained extremely high once the game officially launched.
Playground Games has not yet shared full official statistics beyond the reported milestones, but the early numbers already place Forza Horizon 6 among the biggest racing game launches in recent years.
With player counts continuing to rise, the game is quickly becoming one of Xbox’s biggest releases of 2026.
So, do you think Forza Horizon 6 deserves to become the series’ biggest launch, or is the hype currently carrying the numbers?
