Forza Horizon 6 Accidently Leaked on Steam

Forza Horizon 6, the latest installment in the critically-acclaimed open world racing game series, has accidentally leaked on Steam a week ahead of its release. As reported by Windows Central, it appears that the full version of the game was pre-loaded on Valve’s digital storefront without any form of encryption, allowing some users to obtain the files and leak a playable version of it.

Windows Central’s Jez Corden says that he spotted someone streaming the game on Twitch before its release on May 19, which is surely devastating for Microsoft and developer Playground Games. Forza Horizon 6 is the first big Xbox game to launch in 2026, and, unfortunately, Microsoft couldn’t keep it under wraps until the early access launch on May 15 for players who purchase the Premium Edition.

Microsoft and Playground Games have yet to comment on the accidental leak, but let’s hope the teams handling the game’s preloading on Steam and the Microsoft Store will have learned a valuable lesson. It’s not uncommon to see leaked footage of upcoming games when physical versions get into the hands of people too early. However, preloading unencrypted files on digital distribution platforms is something else entirely.

Forza Horizon 6 will be coming almost five years after the previous episode, and it’s set in Japan. The game will feature 550 cars at launch, nine radio stations, and some loyalty rewards for Forza veterans. Game Pass subscribers will get to play the game on day one on May 19, but they can also unlock early access by purchasing the game’s $59.99 Premium Upgrade.