Forza Horizon 6 has experienced an explosive debut weekend—even before its official launch. While the game does not technically arrive until Tuesday, May 19, the Premium Edition has been playable since Friday, May 15. Playground Games’ latest racing title has already drawn massive crowds. While rumors of a $140 million revenue haul during this head-start window are overstated, the game’s performance is nothing short of a landmark success that could fundamentally reshape how developers handle future releases.
The numbers generated over the opening days would be impressive for a full release, let alone a pre-launch period. On Steam alone, Forza Horizon 6 commanded a peak of over 180,000 concurrent players this past Sunday. This figure comfortably placed the game in the platform’s top 10 for the weekend and obliterated the all-time peak of its predecessor, Forza Horizon 5, which topped out at 81,000 players at launch.
Steam represents only a portion of the total player base. The title is also available on Xbox, the Microsoft Store, and the Xbox app. Although these platforms do not disclose public player data, internal tracking metrics for Forza Horizon 6 reveal a massive early-access audience: at least 1.5 million players.
Every player passes through specific world activities, such as speed traps, which log performance data. A discovery by the DayOne community on Saturday confirmed that the “River Split Speed Trap” leaderboard had already recorded 1.2 million unique users. As of Monday, that figure has climbed to over 1.52 million.
The revenue implications here are fascinating. With the Premium Edition priced at $120, initial speculation suggested a $140 million payday, which would realistically be closer to $180 million based on current player counts. However, the math is complex. Because Forza Horizon 6 is included with Game Pass Ultimate, many users likely opted for the $60 “Premium Upgrade” rather than paying the full $120. Even for those joining Game Pass for the first time, a bundle of one month of Ultimate plus the upgrade costs roughly $83. It is highly probable that these upgrades drive a significant portion of that 1.5 million-player count, making the actual revenue figure more nuanced than simple sticker-price multiplication.
Regardless of the final revenue tally, this early-access launch is a triumph. It validates a specific business model for Microsoft that will likely influence industry strategies far beyond the Game Pass ecosystem.
While previous games have utilized similar early-access tactics, Forza Horizon 6 stands out for its high barrier to entry. In 2023, Hogwarts Legacy hit a peak of 470,000 concurrent Steam players during its early access phase, and Diablo 4 famously generated 93 million hours of playtime before its official launch. However, Hogwarts Legacy offered its bonus period for a $10 premium, while Diablo 4 required a $20 to $30 upgrade. In contrast, Forza Horizon 6 demands a $50 to $60 investment for early access, and millions of fans have shown they are more than happy to pay for that privilege.
Image: Playground Games/Xbox Game Studios
Microsoft’s retail strategy is clearly focused on driving value toward the top-tier edition. The Deluxe version, priced at $100, offers the Car Pass and a Welcome Pack, but lacks the early-access allure of the Premium Edition. By positioning the Premium package as the definitive version—complete with VIP memberships, future expansions, and the early-access window—Microsoft effectively encourages players to choose the more expensive option.
Polygon
