Forza Horizon 6 Dev Bans Pirate Who Leaked Gameplay Footage Until the Year 10,000 — but Faces Uphill Battle Plugging the Leak

Forza Horizon 6, Microsoft-owned developer Playground Games’ upcoming racing title, leaked online a week before its official May 19 release date. In response, the studio issued sweeping enforcement action against players caught accessing the pirated build, including franchise-wide and hardware bans—with reports indicating bans lasting approximately 7,973 years (until the year 10,000).

Playground Games explicitly stated the leak did not result from a Steam pre-load issue, a common vector for early game access. Despite the severity of the threatened punishments, the effectiveness of these bans came into question almost immediately. DVS Squad, a prominent leaker, continued posting gameplay footage of the leaked build after receiving a ban. In a seven-minute response video, the leaker acknowledged the consequences but expressed little concern, stating he “knew the risk” and appeared largely unbothered by the punishment.

The leaked PC build spread quickly across piracy channels, with the full game cracked and distributed online before official release. Playground Games’ statement made clear it would pursue “strict enforcement action” against anyone found accessing the build. SteamDB publicly distanced itself from any involvement in the leak.

The incident highlights the ongoing challenge publishers face in preventing and controlling game leaks in the digital era. While Playground Games deployed some of the harshest penalties available—hardware bans preventing any Xbox and PC gaming services access across all Forza titles—the continued posting of footage by affected users suggests such measures may have limited deterrent value against determined leakers.

Forza Horizon 6 Dev Bans Pirate Who Leaked Gameplay Footage Until the Year 10,000 — but Faces Uphill Battle Plugging the Leak

Sources