Potential Forza Horizon 6 Locations & Beyond: What’s Coming After Mexico?

The globe-trotting Forza Horizon sub-franchise is due to receive a new mainline entry. Nobody is really wondering whether the game will be good or not, mind: we know it will be, simply because Playground Games nails the driving mechanics and physics every single time. Playground Games is the developer behind the series, known for their expertise and commitment to quality. Each Forza Horizon game is developed with extensive research on real-world locations and innovative design, ensuring a fresh and immersive experience. The location, though, is the big question.

As Forza Horizon 6 hasn’t yet been officially announced, we simply don’t know what its map might be like. Yet, some options are simply way more likely than the others, and we think we’ve got three very strong contenders for the title. The future of the series looks promising, with ongoing updates and support expected to keep the game engaging for players. Let’s get to it!

READ MORE: Is Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 a proper upgrade, or just a tie-in?

When is Forza Horizon 6 Coming Out?

Sadly, we've got virtually no idea when Forza Horizon 6 might be coming out. Playground Games is quite mysterious when it comes to these matters, and with Fable on the horizon, there are some questions on whether the team is able to deliver a new mainline Forza game anytime soon.

That being said, we feel it quite obvious that Forza Horizon 6 is absolutely not coming out in 2024. Further, in 2025, it's going to be a whopping four years since Forza Horizon 5 first came out, which is a very long development cycle for one of these titles. Further still, 2025 is going to mark the twentieth anniversary of the grand Forza franchise as a whole, and we're obviously not getting a new Motorsport game anytime soon.

To that end, we expect that Forza Horizon 6 will be coming out sometime in 2025, for the three key reasons we outlined above.

A Look Back at the Previous Forza Horizon Locations

Since its debut, Forza Horizon has set the gold standard for open world racing games, thanks to the creative vision of Playground Games and the backing of Xbox Game Studios. Each entry in the series has whisked gamers away to a new, vibrant location, making every title feel fresh while retaining the core elements that make Forza Horizon one of the best racing games out there.

The journey began in Colorado, USA, where the very first Forza Horizon game introduced players to a sprawling map filled with challenging mountain roads, realistic small towns, and a festival atmosphere that set the tone for the whole series. Colorado’s mix of tight canyons and open highways made every race event an absolute blast, and the thrill of discovering rare cars through barn finds quickly became a fan-favorite feature. The game’s dynamic events and variety of cars ensured that racers could spend hours exploring, collecting, and competing.

Forza Horizon 2 took the action to Southern France and Northern Italy, offering a sun-soaked map that blended coastal drives with rolling vineyards and picturesque villages. This location was a visual treat, with stunning graphics and a dynamic weather system that brought the world to life. The introduction of PR stunts, discount signs, and a robust season pass packed with new car packs and expansions gave players even more reasons to keep coming back. The blend of scenic beauty and technical driving made this map a standout in the franchise.

Australia was the star of Forza Horizon 3, and it quickly became a fan favorite for its sheer diversity. From golden beaches to lush rainforests and the rugged outback, the map was a playground for every type of racer. The addition of player houses, which acted as fast travel points and offered unique perks, added a new layer of strategy to the game. The soundtrack was another highlight, with a mix of music genres that perfectly matched the high-octane races and laid-back exploration. For many, the Australian setting delivered some of the most memorable moments in the series.

With Forza Horizon 4, Playground Games shifted gears to the United Kingdom, introducing a shared-world experience and, for the first time, dynamic seasons that changed the map every week. The UK’s rolling hills, historic cities, and unpredictable weather made for a constantly evolving racing experience. Online servers brought racers together for live events and challenges, while the ever-changing seasons kept the gameplay feeling fresh. The graphics were nothing short of incredible, cementing Forza Horizon 4 as one of the best-looking titles in the franchise.

Most recently, Forza Horizon 5 transported players to Mexico, a location celebrated for its vibrant culture, diverse biomes, and jaw-dropping vistas. From dense jungles and towering mountains to bustling cities and sun-drenched beaches, the map offered endless opportunities for exploration and high-speed action. The game pushed the boundaries of what an open world racer could be, with new race events, barn finds, and a massive roster of cars to collect and customize.

Looking back, each Forza Horizon location has brought something unique to the table, whether it’s the challenging roads of Colorado, the scenic beauty of Northern Italy, or the dynamic weather of the UK. These maps have not only set the stage for unforgettable races but have also helped the series evolve with new features, car packs, and gameplay innovations. As we look forward to Forza Horizon 6, there’s no doubt that Playground Games will continue to deliver incredible worlds for gamers to explore, race, and conquer—making every new location a must-play for fans of the best racing games on Xbox and beyond.

Three Likeliest Forza Horizon 6 Locations

Over the course of its lifetime, Forza Horizon games have been set in a variety of countries: Colorado in the United States, Southern France and North Italy in Europe, Australia, Great Britain in the UK, and - as of late - Mexico. Each country brings its own unique landscape, climate, and regional characteristics, which greatly influence the environment, architecture, and overall gameplay experience. Each game is located in a different part of the world, showcasing the diversity of locations and offering players a fresh experience with every release. The series' maps are often compared, and many fans debate which one is the best map, with some preferring the vibrant scenery of Australia while others favor the cultural richness of Mexico.

Forza Horizon is the only game in the racing genre that offers such a unique blend of open-world exploration and casual street racing, setting it apart from other games in both the racing and open-world categories. The in-game locations are so realistic that players might mistake them for real life, with some scenes closely mirroring actual places. Players can use the in-game photo mode to capture photos of their cars and the stunning environments, further enhancing the immersive experience.

Unlike the more simulation-focused Forza Motorsport titles, which are developed by Turn 10 Studios, the Horizon series by Playground Games emphasizes open-world exploration, fun, and a more casual approach to racing. Forza Horizon features include curated in-game radio stations hosted by notable DJs and a wide variety of customizable vehicles, making the gameplay both interesting and entertaining. The map design and overall gameplay make the series consistently fun and interesting for both casual and dedicated players.

Where might Forza Horizon 6 take place? What might its map be like? Here are our three top theories, as of 2024!

#1: Germany/Austria

Even though Forza Horizon 4 did take place in the Great Britain, we think there's significant merit in pEven though Forza Horizon 4 did take place in the Great Britain, we think there’s significant merit in plopping down Forza Horizon 6 somewhere around Germany and/or Austria. Switzerland, too, would work in a similar fashion. The gist of this choice would line up with several different lines of reasoning:

• Central Europe is one of the key crucibles of historical automotive development.
• It’s a region that’s not yet been explored in any prior Forza titles.
• Huge amounts of variety present here, ranging from snowy mountains to metropolitan cities, through minute villages and sprawling landscapes.

Players could unlock new festival sites across the Germany/Austria map, each serving as a hub for events and exploration. As they complete events and challenges in this region, they would make progress by unlocking new content, rewards, and advancing through the game’s ranks. The map could feature a variety of challenges, such as rival races, technical driving events, and showdowns that test player skill. In the tight city streets, players could be challenged by AI traffic or other players, adding to the intensity of urban racing. On the Autobahn or in speed traps, players could try to beat their friends' records, pushing for the top spot on leaderboards.

Even more crucially, ever since Forza Horizon 2‘s rendition of Italy and France, we’ve not had genuinely tense, traffic-heavy, and tight driving scenarios. The locations the series has taken us to in the interim have been almost universally wide-open and designed for fast, rather than technical driving. Taking things into the Central Europe would be a wholly different driving paradigm, and Playground Games might be looking to deliver on that goal.

And, of course, that’s without going into the ridiculous amounts of automotive history present in Germany. Oh hey, Autobahn anyone? Come on now…

#2: Mainland China

Even though Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown did replicate Hong Kong island remarkably well, we think there’s serious merit in considering mainland China as a location for Forza Horizon 6. If this is the option Playground Games has decided to go with - because, let’s be honest, the team knew what the next map would be years and years ago - then it would’ve been chosen for many of the same reasons as Mexico was for FH5.

Notably, this is an extremely varied and engaging locale that spreads across dozens of unique biomes and driving scenarios. China is also host to some of the largest and most traffic-heavy cities on the planet, which would offer an impeccable counter to the country’s wonderful forests, mountains, and beaches. During long scenic drives along the country’s coast or through its forests, players could take a break to enjoy the view or plan their next route. The inclusion of player houses in the China map would allow for vehicle customization, fast travel, and unique perks, enhancing the gameplay experience. So, we’d be getting a bit of everything with mainlined China, as well as something else: a Forza Horizon set in Asia that’s not featuring the Japanese Peninsula.

For whatever reason, Playground Games has never gone on record as to why Japan’s never been featured in a Forza Horizon game, and opting for China would be the next best thing in many respects. Yet, with that in mind, we do have to tackle the obvious choice that many players have been hoping for…

#3: Japan

That's right: Japan most certainly is a possible and perhaps even likely option for Forza Horizon 6. The reason we didn't kick this article off with Japan is, honestly, because it's the obvious choice that everyone's been murmuring about for over a decade now.

We won't mince words here: Forza Horizon absolutely deserves a dedicated Japan chapter, and if Germany/Central Europe had oodles of automotive history backing it up, then the same goes doubly so for Japan. There'd be some overlap with Gran Turismo in this respect, for sure, and we'd hope to see just about every single Japanese, Korean, and Chinese vehicle manufacturer fully represented, but who knows how that might pan out.

A Japanese Forza Horizon would be privy to some delightful visuals, but also the iconic mountain drift sequences that you don't really have in any other region, outside of Alps. And that's a pretty big maybe, at that. Combine this with the classic Japanese car aesthetic and culture, and you've got a game to behold.

But, who knows! As we said before, Playground Games has cheekily been avoiding Japan all along, so there's no telling what might happen next.

Does It Even Matter, Though?

In the end, even though the map of Forza Horizon 6 will inevitably inform the design of the game, we don't think it matters that much where we play it. Forza Horizon games have, historically, all been quite similar and of similarly top-tier quality, so we're not overly concerned. Playground Games will drive it home no matter what.

In fact, one might argue that Forza Horizon could do with a bit of a progression shake-up and whatnot, but that's a wholly different can of worms that we'll open up at a later date. In the interim, mull about the three top options we've come up with and see for yourself whether they make sense or not!

CHECK OUT: Can You Transfer Modern Warfare Weapons to Black Ops 6?