Forza Horizon 6 Japan Map Is Bigger Than FH5 And Denser Than Ever, With Surprises Around Every Corner

Forza Horizon finally heard the loudest club in the room. After road-tripping through the USA, Australia, Southern Europe, the UK, and Mexico, Horizon 6 is heading to Japan. The studio rolled up to Tokyo Game Show with the reveal and a very on-brand promise: bigger map, more to do, and yes, Tokyo.

Art director Don Arceta told GamesRadar+ ahead of the TGS reveal that Playground is not just going wider this time, but packing the place to the rafters.

'Japan is our biggest map yet' and 'also our most full... We can’t go bigger without filling it with things to do and see... Horizon’s version of Japan is big, but also dense. There’s always something around the corner for you to discover... I won’t put a number on it. It is bigger.'

Horizon maps are already playgrounds in the literal sense: ramps to launch off, collectibles everywhere, oddball side-stunts, and, obviously, races. FH6 is stacking even more on top of that. The 'no number' thing is cute, but context helps: Forza Horizon 5 was around twice the size of Horizon 4, which itself was the biggest at the time. So if this tops that, we are talking large. And it kind of has to be when you are building out Mount Fuji and a full-blown Tokyo.

Speaking of Tokyo, Arceta says it is the franchise's biggest city so far and the most ambitious build they have attempted. The way he describes it, this is not a flat grid with neon thrown on top; it is layered, complex, and designed to feel new for longtime Horizon players.

• Setting: Japan, after previous stops in the USA, Australia, Southern Europe, the UK, and Mexico
• Reveal timing: Teased ahead of Tokyo Game Show
• Map size: 'Biggest yet' and 'most full,' with a focus on density and constant discovery
• Activities: More ramps, more collectibles, more offbeat missions, and, of course, more races
• Landmarks: Expect heavy hitters like Mount Fuji and the series' largest city build in Tokyo
• Tokyo design: Described as layered, complex, and the team’s most ambitious city
• Cultural angle: Playground says they worked closely with a cultural consultant to keep the Japan setting authentic and respectful

Inside baseball bit: Playground is clearly chasing scale without empty space, which is harder than it sounds. If they actually landed a world that is both bigger and busier, with a Tokyo that feels like a maze you want to get lost in, that is the right kind of sequel energy.