Forza Horizon 6 PS5 Version May Slip Beyond 2026

Forza Horizon 6’s PlayStation 5 release is reportedly still planned, but Xbox may delay it as part of a renewed focus on exclusivity.

The PlayStation 5 version of Forza Horizon 6 has been noticeably silent. That quietness is now fueling speculation that the highly anticipated racing game may miss its previously projected 2026 release date on Sony's console. No official word has confirmed a delay, but a new report has stoked the fires of conjecture.

The report recently said he doesn't expect Forza Horizon 6 to be coming to PlayStation 5 in 2026. The comment quickly raised concerns that Microsoft might be rethinking the PS5 version entirely. However, Warren later added that the game is still coming to PlayStation 5, so the present scenario seems to be a delay rather than a cancellation.

If that is true, the move could signal a bigger shift in how Xbox releases its first-party titles on other platforms.

Microsoft has been more open to multi-platform releases in recent years, but holding Forza Horizon 6 off the PS5 until sometime beyond 2026 could signal a return to console exclusivity as more important for the studio. One hypothesis is that Microsoft wants to give Xbox users a much longer stretch with the game before bringing it to PlayStation. Forza Horizon 6 is likely to be one of the year's biggest racing games and could be a strong system seller during the holidays.

The strategy also would have some precedent. Forza Horizon 5 launched on Xbox and PC in 2021 and is coming to PlayStation 5 in 2025. Despite the four-year gap, the game still did well on Sony’s platform, proving that a delayed release doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of enthusiasm from PlayStation fans. That example might push Microsoft to drop short six-month exclusivity clauses altogether.

The longer the wait, the better for Xbox to pull players who want the latest and greatest Forza Horizon now and for Microsoft to get a piece of the PlayStation sales pie later. There’s still no sign of Forza Horizon 6 being an Xbox exclusive. Instead, it seems like PlayStation players may just have to wait longer than previously anticipated. Whether that’s one year, several years, or something else, we don’t know.

For Microsoft, it could eventually come down to the correct mix of hardware sales against software revenue.

PlayStation audiences may still build buzz years after an Xbox debut, and a lengthier exclusivity period could give the corporation a bigger incentive for gamers to pick Xbox first, as Forza Horizon 5 proved.

Fans should take the rumored delay with a grain of salt until Microsoft releases official word. But with Forza Horizon 6 looming large on the 2026 release calendar, the likelihood of a PS5 launch slipping past the year might become a key factor in Xbox’s changing exclusivity policy.