Forza Horizon 6 reportedly leaked on Steam

Playground Games said on May 11 that a build of *Forza Horizon 6* had been obtained before release and that the incident was “not the result of a pre-load issue.” The statement came after social posts and videos circulated over the weekend claiming the racing game had leaked through Steam ahead of launch. Steam’s store page now shows the game for pre-purchase at $69.99, with Premium Edition early access already underway and a broader release window beginning May 18 on the platform. Steam’s own product page gives the clearest verified timeline now available. Valve’s storefront lists *Forza Horizon 6* as “Coming May 18, 2026,” says the game “plans to unlock in approximately 1 day and 23 hours,” and shows a $119.99 Premium Edition with “Advanced Access On Now!” A Steam news post says preloading began May 12 and that the PC version requires 160GB of storage and an SSD. (gadgets360.com) ### Did Steam actually leak the game? Playground Games said the answer is no. In the studio’s statement, reported by multiple outlets quoting its X post, the developer said it was aware that a build had been obtained before release and could “confirm this is not the result of a pre-load issue.” The company also said it was taking “strict enforcement action” against people found accessing that build. (store.steampowered.com) SteamDB, the third-party service that tracks Steam activity, offered a similar account. According to reporting that quoted SteamDB’s X post, the service said the game was “very likely leaked by someone with early access to the build (reviewer or similar)” and that the file list appeared on SteamDB because someone used its token dumper. That account shifts attention away from Valve’s preload system and toward a person with legitimate early access, though SteamDB’s explanation was still framed as likelihood rather than a confirmed identification of the leaker. (gadgets360.com) ### What can be verified from Steam right now? Steam’s live page confirms that *Forza Horizon 6* is a real, listed product on the service and that Microsoft is selling multiple editions there. The page names a $69.99 standard edition, a $99.99 Deluxe Edition and a $119.99 Premium Edition, and it says recent news includes a May 15 post titled “First Drive: A Forza Horizon 6 Starting Guide.” It also says the game has more than 5,900 user reviews marked “Very Positive,” indicating early-access players are already active through approved channels. (gadgets360.com) The Steam DLC page adds more concrete details. Valve’s storefront lists add-ons including a Treasure Map priced at $2.99, plus a Welcome Pack, Time Attack Car Pack and VIP Membership. The same page lists May 18, 2026 as the release date for downloadable content tied to the main game. ### Where did the leak narrative come from? YouTube videos, X posts and gaming outlets began describing a Steam-related leak in the days before launch. (store.steampowered.com) Several reports said roughly 155GB of files had appeared in connection with SteamDB over the weekend and that the material spread to piracy sites, but those claims were not confirmed by Microsoft or Valve in a public statement reviewed here. Playground’s own statement acknowledged the existence of an obtained build while rejecting the preload explanation. (store.steampowered.com) IGN’s daily news video and other gaming outlets repeated the early version of the story that unencrypted Steam preload files were involved. Later reporting, after Playground’s statement, narrowed that claim and emphasized the studio’s denial that preloading itself was responsible. ### What did Playground say it would do to players using the leaked build? Playground Games said on May 11 that anyone found accessing the build would face “franchise-wide and hardware bans.” Reports quoting the statement said some users who went online with unauthorized copies were already posting screenshots of bans lasting until the year 9999, though those screenshots could not be independently verified here from primary platform records. (youtube.com 1) (youtube.com 2) The warning matters because Premium Edition buyers have legitimate early access while the broader launch is still pending. Steam’s page says Premium Edition owners can play now, while everyone else is waiting for the standard unlock. That split makes verification harder when clips appear online, because some footage may come from authorized early access and some may not. (gadgets360.com) ### What happens next, and where will confirmation come from? May 18 and May 19 are the next dates to watch. Steam’s store page says the game is coming May 18, 2026 and separately says it “becomes available for everyone starting May 19,” while Playground’s statement told fans to wait for the May 19 release. Any fuller accounting of how the build escaped is most likely to come from Playground Games, Microsoft or Valve through official store posts or social channels after the public launch window opens. (store.steampowered.com)