As rumored earlier this year, developers Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios are bringing Forza Horizon 6 to Japan. While the announcement trailer didn’t show off much beyond Mount Fuji in the background, Xbox Game Studios spared no expense to help the devs understand Japanese culture for the game. That included hiring a cultural consultant to guide them throughout development.
On Xbox Wire, cultural consultant, Kyoko Yamashita explained why the Forza Horizon 6 team felt the need to have a deeper knowledge about Japan while recreating it for the game.
“Japan is widely loved, but it can also be widely misread when you only see it from afar,” said Yamashita. “The team wanted to present more than a postcard or a backdrop; they wanted a lived-in world. Having a cultural consultant early helps you make a thousand small, respectful decisions: how neighborhoods sound, even what a sign color communicates about a shop. Those small choices add up to credibility and help avoid stereotypes, while also making it a truly immersive experience for players.”
Yamashita added that the approach to authenticity was treated “as a practice, not a checkbox,” and noted that it extended to the game’s seasonal changes as well as the day-and-night cycles. Forza Horizon 6’s Japan won’t be a one-to-one recreation of the entire country, but it’s meant to feel familiar for locals and visitors alike. That includes the way it incorporates Japan’s car culture.
“In Japanese car culture, the depth and diversity is astonishing,” noted Yamashita. “Kei cars and vans with cult followings, precision motorsport, drifting’s roots, and their passion for customization really stands out. It’s welcoming to different levels of enthusiasm and knowledge, which is exactly the kind of layered world I want players to feel.”
Forza Horizon 6 will be released in 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, and it will be a day-one title on Xbox Game Pass. There is a PS5 port in development, but it will be a post-launch release. You can stay on top of the game’s development by checking out GameSpot’s guide to Forza Horizon 6.
