Forza Horizon 6 Devs Go All In With Cultural Consultant To Get Japan Right
Japan has topped fans’ wish lists since day one — and Playground Games knows it.
Forza Horizon 6 is finally taking the series to Japan. Yes, the long-requested dream map is real, and Playground Games swears they waited until they could do it properly.
Japan at last (and on purpose)
Playground Games art director Don Arceta told GamesRadar+ that Japan has been the wish-list destination since the first couple Horizon games, not just for fans but for the team too. They are genuinely thrilled to say the next one is actually set there, but also very aware that this is a one-shot situation: if you go to Japan, you have to nail it.
"We can only do Japan once and we want to do it right."
The inside baseball: how Horizon picks a map
Arceta described the location hunt as a whole Olympic bid process: lots of candidates, a long list, a short list, and a ton of debate. It is a very nerdy, very game-dev way to say they do not just throw a dart at a globe.
Why Japan is happening now
- The series has evolved to where the team feels confident they can build a Japanese open world that actually does the place justice.
- They brought in cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita and worked closely with her to keep things respectful and accurate.
- They are aiming to integrate more of Japan than just the scenery. Expect touches of culture woven through the experience, not just road signs and cherry blossoms.
More than a backdrop
Arceta hinted that players might be surprised by how much cultural detail finds its way into Horizon 6, and that you will likely come away having learned more about the setting than you expected. That is a big promise for a festival of shiny cars, but if they pull it off, it could be the most distinctive Horizon yet.
Forza Horizon 6 launches next year. We will see how right they got Japan when we get our hands on it.