One of Microsoft’s flagship Xbox franchises, Forza Horizon, may have just had its next release date revealed ahead of schedule. A new leak suggests that Forza Horizon 6 could launch in May 2026, potentially spoiling a key announcement planned for Microsoft’s upcoming showcase.
The alleged leak surfaced via a post on X, where a fan claimed to have encountered an in-game promotional pop-up while playing Forza Horizon 5. According to the screenshot shared, the message advertised Forza Horizon 6 and stated that players who preorder the Premium Edition would gain early access on May 15, 2026, four days before the standard release. That wording strongly implies a full launch date of May 19, 2026.
The pop-up also outlined Premium Edition bonuses, including a VIP Membership, Welcome Pack, Car Pass, a Time Attack Car Pack, an Italian Passion Car Pack arriving post-launch, and two future DLC expansions. Additionally, it claimed that all preorders would receive an exclusive, pre-tuned Ferrari J50 at launch.
Perhaps most notably, the message described Forza Horizon 6 as featuring more than 550 cars and taking players to the “breathtaking landscapes of Japan,” framing it as the largest open-world driving experience in the series to date.
While the pop-up appears authentic, its legitimacy has not been confirmed. The user who reported the leak said it appeared only once and could not be reproduced. The team at Windows Central also reported being unable to trigger the message themselves, suggesting that—if real—it may have been intended to go live after the game’s official reveal but surfaced early due to a glitch.
Forza Horizon 6 is being developed by Playground Games and is expected to receive a full presentation during Microsoft’s Xbox Developer Direct on January 22, where its release date is widely expected to be officially announced.
If the May launch window is accurate, it would be earlier than some fans anticipated, as speculation had pointed toward a late-2026 release. A spring launch could also position the game strongly for the year, building on the success of its predecessor. Since its 2021 release, Forza Horizon 5 has sold millions of copies, remained one of the most-played titles on Xbox Game Pass, and even topped sales charts on PlayStation 5 in 2025.
Like other first-party Xbox releases, Forza Horizon 6 is expected to launch day one on Xbox Game Pass for Xbox and PC subscribers, with availability potentially expanding to other tiers later.
Until Microsoft confirms the details, the leaked date should be treated with caution—but if accurate, it may have already taken some of the suspense out of one of Xbox’s biggest announcements of the year.
