Forza Horizon 6 Lets You Destroy Most Trees–With A Big Exception
Forza Horizon 6 brings the racing franchise to Japan for the first time, featuring a highly detailed and stylized recreation of the country’s landscapes, including downtown Tokyo and scenic countryside roads across all seasons. While the game allows players to destroy most environmental objects by crashing into them—with the game rewarding this destructive behavior through experience points—developers made a deliberate exception for culturally significant features.
Cherry blossom trees, along with shrines and temples, are completely indestructible in the game. Design director Torben Ellert explained to Japan Times that this design decision was made to honor Japanese cultural traditions and demonstrate respect for the country where the game is set. This selective destruction mechanic reflects the developers’ commitment to balancing open-world gameplay freedom with cultural sensitivity.
The game is currently available in early access for players who purchased early entry, with a wider release scheduled for May 19. The exception for cherry blossoms and sacred sites stands out as a notable design choice, highlighting how contemporary game developers navigate the balance between open-ended player agency and respect for real-world cultural significance and traditions.