Forza Horizon 6 early access release is a huge hit and could change how games are sold
Forza Horizon 6 achieved exceptional success during its early access period, launching Friday, May 15 via Premium Edition ahead of its official release on May 19. The racing game attracted over 180,000 concurrent players on Steam by Sunday, ranking well inside the platform’s top 10 for the weekend. This peak player count more than doubles Forza Horizon 5’s lifetime concurrent player record, demonstrating substantial demand for the title.
While some claimed the game generated over $140 million in revenue during early access, this figure lacks verification. Nevertheless, the launch represents a major commercial success that has drawn congratulations from Xbox leadership. Chief Content Officer Matt Booty and Xbox CEO Asha Sharma publicly praised Playground Games’ achievement on social media and LinkedIn, characterizing the early access performance as “exceptionally rare.”
The strong launch metrics suggest early access releases could influence future gaming industry sales strategies. By monetizing the pre-release period through premium tier access, Forza Horizon 6 generated significant revenue and player engagement before the standard edition’s availability. The game’s upcoming Xbox Game Pass integration will further expand its reach, potentially setting a precedent for how major publishers time and structure game launches. The success indicates players are willing to pay premium prices for early access to highly anticipated titles, a model that could reshape industry release strategies going forward.