© ROOT-NATION.com - Use of content is permitted with a backlink.
On the eve of the official release, Microsoft’s latest racing game was leaked, forcing the company to start a massive user blocking. The sixth installment of the famous Forza Horizon franchise was hacked and distributed online a week before its scheduled release. Although the general release is scheduled for May 19, and owners of the premium edition were supposed to get access on May 15, a working PC version is reportedly already available on pirate resources.
As of the evening of May 11, Microsoft and Playground Games began to actively punish those who took advantage of the leak. Players receive different blocking periods, ranging from temporary restrictions on Xbox accounts to lifetime bans based on the computer’s hardware ID. In turn, the studio denied the assumption of an error with the pre-load on Steam, despite numerous statements that unencrypted data was briefly exposed.
We are aware of reports that a build of Forza Horizon 6 has been obtained prior to its release and can confirm this is not the result of a pre-load issue.
We are taking strict enforcement action against any individuals found accessing this build including franchise-wide and…
– Playground Games (@WeArePlayground) May 11, 2026
According to VGC, the incident could have been caused by a developer’s mistake, who uploaded a copy of the project to Steam servers without proper protection last weekend. This allowed third parties to intercept the files and bypass the security system. VGC journalists noted that they had seen the game on some websites, but had not checked it out personally. However, a huge number of screenshots and videos that have flooded social media over the past 24 hours confirm the authenticity of the leaked version.
For Microsoft, this turn of events was a real blow, as Forza Horizon 6 is a key product of the company. Experts who have seen fragments of the game predict it to be one of the best projects of 2026 due to its impressive visuals. Reviewers note that the novelty has every chance to surpass the fifth installment and take a leading position among open-world races.
It is worth reminding that the history of the series began in 2012, and initially, new episodes were released at 2-year intervals. Since 2018, the pace of releases has slowed down – the previous iteration appeared in 2021 on most systems, including PS5. This time, Japan was chosen as the setting, which is the debut of this location for the franchise. The premature release of the game online could negatively affect financial performance and retail sales. Currently, the cost of the basic version is $69.99, the deluxe version will cost $99.99, and the most complete edition is asked for $119.99.
Read also:
- be quiet! Dark Perk Ergo Review: The Company’s “Almost” First Gaming Mouse
- Anda Seat Kaiser 3E Review: Premium Gaming Chair with Restrained Design
不存在極限競速：地平線6