Forza Horizon 6 leaked: Playground games warns pirates with ‘franchise-wide and hardware bans’

Playground Games has confirmed the leaks surrounding its upcoming open-world game, Forza Horizon 6, are indeed true. The company said in a post on X that some users had also obtained the game before launch, while confirming that it is taking ‘strict enforcement’ action against pirates.

“We are aware of reports that a build of Forza Horizon 6 has been obtained prior to its release and can confirm this is not the result of a pre-load issue,” Playground Games wrote on X.

“We are taking strict enforcement action against any individuals found accessing this build, including franchise-wide and hardware bans. We encourage fans to sit tight for the game’s release on May 19,” the company added.

Forza Horizon 6 leaked:

The news surrounding Horizon 6 started surfacing earlier in the week, with reports suggesting that around 155GB of unencrypted game files were accidentally uploaded to Steam by a developer. However, the official response from Playground Games rules out that scenario, with the company stating that a pre-load issue was not responsible for the leak.

While Playground Games did not specify exactly what content had surfaced online, multiple reports on social media and gaming forums claimed that early players had gained access to portions of the map, vehicle roster, and menus.

Notably, a user in the Forza Horizon community on Reddit, in a now-deleted post, shared how their account was banned by the company for over 8,000 years, specifically until December 31, 9999. The user noted that the suspension came after trying to use mods and cheat in the upcoming title.

Forza Horizon 6 is all set to launch on May 19 for Xbox Series X/S and PC, with a PlayStation launch expected later in the year. Meanwhile, users who already paid for the Premium Edition of the game will receive access from 15 May onwards.

Forza Horizon 6 gameplay:

Forza Horizon 6 is set to take gamers to the neon-filled streets of Japan and will feature what Playground Games calls the largest map in the franchise so far. The game will include locations inspired by Tokyo, Mount Fuji, and Hokkaido alongside over 550 cars at launch.

Unlike previous Horizon games where players begin as established superstars, Horizon 6 starts with players arriving in Japan as tourists hoping to work their way into the Horizon festival alongside two companions, Jordy and Mei. As players progress through the story, they will unlock new cars, races, and activities spread across different regions of the map.

The upcoming title also introduces new gameplay systems like The Journal, where players can collect digital mementoes from landmarks across the map, and Car Meets that allow players to showcase customised vehicles with others online.

The studio is also adding a new housing system called The Estate, which will allow players to customise large properties and create personalised spaces using in-game credits. Meanwhile, new Car Meets inspired by Japan’s famous Daikoku parking area will allow players to showcase customised vehicles, explore community liveries, and interact with other racers online.