Forza Horizon 6 Stuns in New Gameplay — But Fans Say Map Looks Empty

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Fresh 9-minute gameplay footage offered a closer look at the Japan map.

Story Highlight
  • 9 minutes of new Forza Horizon 6 gameplay were showcased.
  • Japan looks stunning, but fans complain that the world feels empty with a limited population and complaints about the roads.
  • It is notable to mention that this was pre-release footage, with the final release subject to change.

2026 is going to be a massive year for Xbox, especially since all of its core franchises are set to make a comeback. Forza Horizon 6 will kick off the year for Team Green, with the game set to release on 19th May.

With nearly 2 months left until release, brand-new gameplay footage has been released, and Japan looks stunning as expected. However, the world feels quite empty, despite the promise that Playground Games made earlier that Forza Horizon 6 will be more populated than ever.

Why it matters: Forza Horizon has been one of the most consistent gaming franchises of all time. As such, it is expected of Xbox to maintain the quality, if not take it up a notch.

IGN shared 9 minutes of exclusive Forza Horizon 6 gameplay, and to say that Japan looks beautiful would be an understatement. The Saleen S7 was used for the showcase, and we got to see the valleys and the cities from the game.

Unfortunately, the world looked barren in terms of population. There were barely any cars in the gameplay, and even the city looked like a ghost town. Previously, Playground Games confirmed that the urban setting was a priority for them, but it doesn’t seem so.

Even if there were NPC cars present, they seemed to be the same models recycled throughout. Currently, there is a lack of NPC diversity in the game, as noted.

Forza Horizon 6 AI Art
The Game Was Also Alleged To Use AI Art

However, it could very well be that the population setting was toned down specifically to showcase the graphics and the open world. It’s also notable that this is pre-release footage, and by the final product, most of these issues would already have been addressed.

Other than that, fans in the comments have also complained that the map was monotonous, with roads being too wide for their liking, which wouldn’t work in the valley area, for example.

What are your thoughts on this gameplay footage? Are you excited for Forza Horizon 6? Let us know in the comments below, or at the official Tech4Gamers Forums.

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