That nine-minute gameplay footage for Forza Horizon 6 we saw in early March was admittedly a bit boring, but fans have put it to good use. A group of fans over at the r/ForzaHorzion subreddit has started a mapping project for Forza Horizon 6, and there are some very interesting findings. By cross-referencing IGN’s gameplay footage and the established in-game measurements, these dedicated fans have found that the new map will dwarf the landscapes of the UK and Mexico seen previously.
To be precise, the group estimates that the playable area of the map is somewhere around 246 square kilometers (or about 95 square miles). For context, Forza Horizon 5’s playable area was roughly 107 to 130 square kilometers (or 41 to 50 square miles). This means that the new map is roughly twice as large as the previous game.
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Broadening The Horizons
For a serious company known for its somewhat iterative and incremental growth, a leap of this magnitude is a massive technical shift. Getting Japan as the region was already a dream come true for many, but having access to such a large map means players will be enjoying it for hundreds of hours.
Members of the project have independently mapped iconic locations like Ebisu and Shirakawa-go. They used line-of-sight calculations relative to Mount Fuji and the surrounding mountain ranges to verify their placements in 3D space. Beyond this, the team is also mapping height data for hills and mountains to gauge whether the verticality of the terrain is accurate. They have even begun tagging the locations of bonus boards and stamps discovered in gameplay trailers.
The game also features several long-requested fan features that lean into Japanese cultures. Touge Battles look particularly interesting, and there is speculation that we’ll be facing up against some drifting legends from the Japanese scene. Players can also look forward to a revamped Wristband career progression that starts you as a tourist, making the climb to becoming a Horizon Legend feel more earned. With over 550 cars confirmed at launch, the wait for this massive expansion of the Horizon formula is reaching a fever pitch. Forza Horizon 6 launches on May 19, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Published: Mar 30, 2026 12:30 pm