Xbox’s Forza Horizon 6 launch times have been announced — here’s exactly when you can play – Windows Central

One of 2026’s biggest games (and possibly its biggest Xbox game), Forza Horizon 6, is now under a week away from its planned release date, with fans of the beloved arcade racer franchise eagerly awaiting the new installment all over the world. It will soon be playable across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Steam, with day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass and full Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Aside from its release date, Xbox and developer Playground Games have kept more specific information like Forza Horizon 6’s launch times under wraps — that is, until now. On Wednesday morning, the game’s complete release schedule was unveiled, revealing precisely when you’ll be able to play Forza Horizon 6 in your time zone.

Forza Horizon 6 Early Access launch times

Forza Horizon 6 full launch times

The launch schedule for Forza Horizon 6 is quite simple compared to many other AAA game releases. In the US, the game is slated to go live on Xbox on May 14 (Early Access) or May 18 (launch) at 9:01 p.m. PT / 11:01 p.m. CST. However, in every other region and on Steam, it will release on May 15 (Early Access) or May 19 (launch) at 12:01 a.m. in your local time zone.

If you’d like to play the game early, preordering the Premium Edition for Early Access gets you on the road four days ahead of everyone else. It’s pricey at $119.99, though there’s an awesome deal for it that knocks the price down to just $92.99 at Loaded. There’s also a sweet discount that lowers the cost of the Standard Edition to $54.39 at Loaded (from $69.99).

Notably, whether you have Early Access or not, you can also play earlier by employing the “New Zealand trick” if you’re on Xbox. By changing your console’s location to New Zealand in its system settings, you can jump in when it’s midnight in New Zealand — 12-16 hours earlier than you’d be able to with your location set in the US.

Ultimately, Forza Horizon 6 is now just a few short days away, and based on how it’s already a Steam Top Seller, I have no doubts it’s going to be a colossal hit with players worldwide.

Are you excited to play Forza Horizon 6 soon? I’d love to hear from you, so let me know in the comments and in our poll below.

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Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he’s been an avid fan since childhood. He’s been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you’ll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he’s not writing or gaming, there’s a good chance he’s either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once. Follow him on X (Twitter).