Forza Horizon 6 will take the series to Japan, and Playground Games says it waited until the studio could “do the country justice.” The developer credits both its growing command of the Xbox Series X and technical work on the Hot Wheels expansion for making Tokyo City possible.
Playground Games’ art director, Don Arceta, told GamesRadar+ that the team needed time to learn the hardware and refine their tools. Beyond console familiarity, the studio drew on Hot Wheels track techniques to create elevated roads that weave through Tokyo City. Those orange loops used in the expansion taught the studio a new way to build complex, elevated routes, and the approach was adapted for real-world streets in the new map.
Arceta also stressed the team wanted authentic representation and strong open-world playability before committing to Japan. He spoke with Xbox Wire about the decision, stating that the studio took player feedback into account and waited until the necessary pieces were in place to deliver the setting correctly.
The Hot Wheels work helped the team model elevated, interlocking road systems that give Tokyo City a different feel than previous Horizon maps, and it should affect how players explore, race, and find secrets across the city. Thoughts on the move to Japan and the connection to Hot Wheels? Please share them in the comments and follow us on X and Bluesky.
