What Forza Horizon 6 Must Learn from Horizon 5’s Success and Failures

Forza Horizon 5 took the open-world racing genre to new heights with its vibrant recreation of Mexico, diverse car roster, and a living, breathing festival atmosphere. As fans eagerly anticipate Forza Horizon 6, it’s worth reflecting on what worked, what could be improved, and what lessons Playground Games should take forward to make the next installment even better.

1. A Stunning, Immersive Open World

Success: Horizon 5 impressed players with a massive, visually stunning world that felt alive. From sun-soaked deserts to lush jungles, every corner was packed with activities, hidden roads, and breathtaking vistas.

Lesson for Horizon 6: The next game must push the boundaries even further. Expanding the world’s scale, introducing dynamic events, and making environments more interactive will keep exploration fresh and rewarding.

2. Diverse Cars and Customization

Success: Horizon 5 offered hundreds of cars across multiple eras, plus deep customization options. Players could truly express themselves both on the road and in style.

Lesson for Horizon 6: While Horizon 5 excelled here, Horizon 6 should consider even more dynamic car interactions — perhaps with modular upgrades, more tuning depth, and a richer garage management experience.

3. Engaging Seasonal Changes

Success: The dynamic seasons in Horizon 5 weren’t just cosmetic; they altered driving conditions, accessibility to areas, and event types, adding a layer of strategy and variety.

Lesson for Horizon 6: This feature should evolve. Imagine more extreme weather, natural disasters, or even time-of-day progression impacting racing in real-time. It would make the world feel alive beyond visual aesthetics.

4. Accessibility vs. Challenge

Success: Horizon 5 struck a balance between casual-friendly gameplay and satisfying challenges for hardcore racers. The Autolog and skill-based rewards encouraged exploration and mastery.

Lesson for Horizon 6: The next game should refine this balance further. More adaptive AI, customizable difficulty settings, and advanced driving simulations could appeal to both casual and pro players without alienating either group.

5. Multiplayer Integration

Success: Horizon 5’s online multiplayer was fluid and fun, with co-op races, events, and “Bucket List Challenges” that encouraged teamwork.

Lesson for Horizon 6: Horizon 6 could benefit from deeper social features—cross-platform multiplayer, larger live events, and community-driven challenges could keep the online ecosystem thriving.

6. Storytelling and Festivals

Success: The Horizon Festival backdrop added charm and context, making players feel part of a global racing community. Story-driven missions were engaging, but some felt repetitive.

Lesson for Horizon 6: A more coherent narrative arc with memorable characters and meaningful choices could elevate the festival experience. More unique mission types and dynamic storylines would prevent the gameplay from feeling repetitive.

7. Technical Optimization

Success: Horizon 5 was visually breathtaking and ran smoothly on Xbox Series X|S and PC. Load times were short, and the map was seamless.

Lesson for Horizon 6: Horizon 6 must maintain high performance, but it should also expand accessibility to more devices without compromising visual fidelity. Cloud gaming optimizations and cross-gen support will be key.

8. Innovation Beyond the Formula

Failure/Opportunity: While Horizon 5 built on its predecessors, some critics felt the game didn’t push the series far enough in terms of innovation.

Lesson for Horizon 6: Horizon 6 needs bold new ideas—perhaps integrating more open-world interactions outside racing, dynamic NPCs, emergent events, or even a hybrid campaign with racing and exploration-driven gameplay.

Conclusion

Forza Horizon 5 set a high benchmark with its rich world, car diversity, and immersive gameplay. But every success comes with lessons, and Horizon 6 has the potential to elevate the series by expanding innovation, deepening player choice, and making the open world feel more alive than ever. By learning from both the triumphs and shortcomings of its predecessor, Playground Games can deliver an experience that not only meets expectations but exceeds them.