Xbox: Forza Horizon 6 most-played early access

Xbox said on May 16 that Forza Horizon 6 had become the most-played early access release in the racing series’ history, giving Playground Games a launch-week milestone before the game’s full debut on May 19. The company did not disclose a player total in the post, but it framed the result as a record for the franchise’s paid early-access window. Asha Sharma, the Microsoft gaming executive who has recently become a visible public face for Xbox, used the moment to praise Playground Games and to point to the studio’s review track record. The claim arrived as Forza Horizon 6 opened to Premium Edition buyers on May 15 and prepared for its standard launch across Xbox Series X|S, PC and Game Pass. ### What exactly did Xbox say on May 16? Asha Sharma said in a social-media post highlighted by Xbox that “so many players” were exploring Forza Horizon 6 over the weekend, making it “the most played Early Access in the series’ history,” according to reporting that reproduced the statement. Xbox’s public framing centered on the comparative claim — most-played in franchise history — rather than on a raw player number. (en.generacionxbox.com) The company has not, in the sources reviewed, published a breakdown by platform, concurrent users or units sold for the early-access period. That leaves the milestone as a relative benchmark against prior Forza Horizon premium-launch windows, not a full accounting of launch-week demand. (en.generacionxbox.com) ### How does early access work for this release? Forza Horizon 6 Premium Edition buyers received four days of early access starting May 15, according to Xbox store listings. Xbox’s product page says the Premium Edition includes the full game, VIP Membership, a Welcome Pack, a Time Attack Car Pack, Car Pass content and two post-launch expansions. (en.generacionxbox.com) Xbox’s main game page says the standard release is May 19, 2026, on Xbox Series X|S and PC, with day-one availability through Game Pass. Xbox Wire separately said Game Pass members can play on May 19 and can access the game earlier with the Premium Upgrade. ### Why did Sharma mention Playground Games’ review streak? Sharma said Playground Games had produced four consecutive titles with review scores above 90, according to the same report that quoted her social-media message. (xbox.com) Metacritic’s current listings support that claim for the mainline Horizon run: Forza Horizon 4 is listed at 92, Forza Horizon 5 at 92 and Forza Horizon 6 at 92, while Playground Games’ company page lists its highest score at 92 and shows a heavily positive review history. (xbox.com) Metacritic’s Forza Horizon 6 page currently shows a 92 score based on 65 critic reviews for Xbox Series X, placing the new game in the same review band as the studio’s strongest previous Horizon releases. Xbox and Metacritic both present that critical reception as part of the game’s launch-week momentum. ### What is in Forza Horizon 6 that Xbox is selling to players? (en.generacionxbox.com) Xbox says Forza Horizon 6 is set in Japan and includes more than 550 real-world cars. The company describes Tokyo City as the largest urban area yet in a Forza Horizon game and says the title is the series’ “biggest open world driving adventure yet.” The game page says players begin as a tourist, work into the Horizon Festival, and progress toward “Legend” status. (metacritic.com) Xbox has also used the launch campaign to promote themed accessories, including a limited-edition controller and headset announced in April. ### What does Xbox still have not disclosed? Xbox has not publicly attached a number to the “most-played” claim in the sources available, and it has not said whether the comparison is based on unique players, engagement hours or another internal metric. (forza.net) The post therefore gives Xbox a launch superlative without the underlying dataset. May 19 is the next concrete milestone for the title. Xbox says Forza Horizon 6 will then be available on Xbox Series X|S, PC and Game Pass, while the official Forza site says a PlayStation 5 version is planned for later in 2026. (xbox.com) (en.generacionxbox.com)