Forza Horizon 6
Credit: Forza Horizon 6
Forza Horizon 6 is in a great place as early access is set to begin. Sterling reviews are beginning to roll in and the videos available — some of which I’ve included here — show off a visually stunning open-world racing title that has a chance to eat well before Grand Theft Auto 6 puts the world in a chokehold in November.
Let’s take a look at the early access info and more.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Title: Forza Horizon 6
- Developer: Playground Games
- Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
- Early Access Date: Friday, May 15, 2026 (Premium owners and Premium Upgrade buyers only)
- Standard Launch: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
- Xbox Early Access Unlock: 12:01 AM local time
- Steam Early Access Unlock: 4:01 AM UTC (May 15)
- Launch Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Store + Steam)
- Game Pass: Day-one on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at standard launch
- PS5: Later in 2026, no date confirmed
What Time Does Forza Horizon 6 Early Access Unlock?
By the time you read this, Early Access might have already begun in your neck of the woods.
Xbox Series X|S and the Xbox app on PC unlock at 12:01 AM local time, which means U.S. West Coast players got in at 9:01 PM PT on May 14. Steam runs on a 4:01 AM UTC global anchor, which maps cleanly to midnight in most U.S. time zones. The standard May 19 launch follows the same staggered pattern for everyone else.
Who Gets Forza Horizon 6 Early Access?
Let’s break it down because there’s layers.
The simple version: Early Access is gated to two groups only. You either bought the Premium Edition outright, which bundles in the base game plus all the extras, or you tacked on the Premium Upgrade Bundle to your Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition or Game Pass Ultimate / PC Game Pass subscription. There is no third path — Game Pass on its own does not unlock Early Access, no matter the tier.
READ MORE on the broader Forza Horizon 6 launch:
Is Forza Horizon 6 on Game Pass?
The answer is yes, but remember what I said about layers. Here’s another one.
Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass include Forza Horizon 6 on day one, starting May 19. That covers the standard release for those two specific tiers and includes Xbox Cloud Gaming on Ultimate. Lower-tier Game Pass plans like Essential and the new Starter tier don’t include the game at all, so subscribers on those plans will need to upgrade or buy. To play on May 15, the Premium Upgrade Bundle is the only path — even Ultimate subscribers have to pay extra for the early window.
What Does the Forza Horizon 6 Premium Upgrade Include?
ESPN had 30 for 30 documentaries. Forza Horizon 6 Premium upgrades has 30 cars over 30 weeks.
The Premium Upgrade Bundle bundles Early Access from May 15, VIP Membership, the Welcome Pack with five pre-tuned cars and a free in-game house, the Time Attack Car Pack, the Italian Passion Car Pack post-launch, and both post-launch Expansions on top of the Car Pass.
It’s the same content stack as the Premium Edition minus the base game, designed to slot on top of a Game Pass subscription or Standard/Deluxe ownership. If you’re already in on Game Pass, that’s the math to run — full subscription plus Premium Upgrade gets you all the same content as the full $129.99 Premium Edition without buying the base game twice.
