Forza Horizon 6 Hits 172,000 Concurrent Steam Players in Early Access, More Than Double Forza Horizon 5's Peak

Forza Horizon 6 reached a peak of 172,093 concurrent players on Steam within hours of its $120 Premium Edition early access launch on May 14, 2026, according to SteamDB. The number is more than double the all-time peak of 81,096 concurrent Steam players for Forza Horizon 5, which occurred four years earlier.

These Steam figures only reflect players on that platform. The game is also available on Xbox Series X|S and via the Microsoft Store on Windows, with Xbox Game Pass offering day-one access starting May 19 when the full public launch takes place.

Forza Horizon 6 Early Access Player Surge and Launch Details

Forza Horizon 6 entered early access on May 14 for players with the Premium Upgrade or Premium Edition. The full release for the public is scheduled for May 19 and will be available on Xbox Series X|S, PC through the Microsoft Store and Steam, as well as through Xbox Game Pass.

During the early access period, owners of the premium edition can play for three days before the standard editions and Game Pass subscribers gain access.

Forza Horizon 6 is set in Japan and marks the first major release in the series since Forza Horizon 5 came out in 2021. Developer Playground Games has confirmed the PC system requirements ahead of launch, which are divided into four tiers. The highest tier supports 4K gameplay with ray tracing enabled.

The early access period has seen a much higher number of concurrent players than Forza Horizon 5 reached even before the game officially becomes available through Xbox Game Pass.

Microsoft does not disclose combined player numbers from Xbox consoles, Microsoft Store on Windows, and Steam. However, Steam's numbers alone suggest that Forza Horizon 6 is experiencing one of the strongest opening performances for an Xbox Game Studios title.

The game is scheduled for a full launch on May 19 across all platforms.

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