I bought Forza Horizon 6 on PC the week it launched because I did not want to wait around for a PS5 version that nobody could actually give me a real date for. A few months later, I still cannot tell you when PlayStation players will get their turn, and honestly, neither can Microsoft, based on what has been said publicly. If you have been holding off on buying an Xbox Series console or a copy on Steam just to wait for PS5, this article is meant to actually help you decide what to do, not just repeat the same three tweets everyone else has already quoted.
Here is a full, plain timeline of what has happened, what is confirmed, what is still just a rumor, and what I would personally do if I were in your position right now.
Where This Game Stands Today
Forza Horizon 6 launched on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC through Steam and the Microsoft Store on May 19, 2026. A PS5 version was announced alongside the game but without a specific release date, only a general promise of “later in 2026.” That vague wording is really where all of the current confusion started. Microsoft has done this before with other games, and it almost always leads to speculation once the window starts closing without an announcement.
A Full Timeline, In Order
May 19, 2026: Forza Horizon 6 releases on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC. Playground Games confirms a PS5 version is coming later in the year, without giving an exact date.
June 2026: Playground Games Production Director Mike Bennett is asked directly in an interview with Traxion whether the PS5 port is still happening. His answer is short and simple: “Yes, absolutely.” No date is given.
Gamescom 2026: No PS5 news, no trailer, and no release date shown at the show, despite Xbox having a presence there. This is the point where fans on forums and Reddit start getting genuinely nervous.
August 27, 2026: YouTuber Colt Eastwood publicly asks whether Playground Games is quietly delaying the PS5 port to 2027. The Verge’s Tom Warren replies directly, saying he is “not expecting to see Forza Horizon 6 on PS5 in 2026.” You can read that exchange here. Warren later clarifies in the same thread that the game is “definitely still releasing” on PS5, just not necessarily this year.
Late August 2026: IGN reports that it has independently gathered similar information, adding a second source pointing toward a 2027 window rather than 2026.
September 8, 2026: The official Forza account posts an update aimed squarely at PlayStation players, telling anyone planning to visit Discover Japan on PS5 to stay tuned, and stating plainly that the game “will be releasing on PS5 later this year,” with a note that it can be added to a PlayStation Store wishlist.
September 9, 2026: Less than a day later, The Verge publishes a new report from Tom Warren stating that Microsoft is actually planning to delay the PS5 release into early 2027, according to sources familiar with Playground Games’ plans. The report specifically says the delay is meant to line the PS5 launch up with the game’s first expansion, targeting a window before the one year anniversary of the original release, which would put it around spring 2027. Warren also notes this is not being driven by fear of competing with GTA 6’s release later in 2026, which had been an earlier theory.
So as of today, you have an official studio statement promising 2026, and a same day contradicting report from one of the most consistently accurate Xbox reporters in games media. Neither has been walked back.
Why Two Reasonably Credible Sources Are Saying Opposite Things
This is the part most coverage glosses over. It is genuinely unusual for a developer’s own social account and a well sourced journalist to give directly conflicting timelines within 24 hours of each other. A few explanations are possible, and it is worth being upfront that none of them are confirmed.
One possibility is that Playground’s post was written and scheduled before an internal decision was finalized, and the studio simply has not caught up publicly yet. Another is that Warren’s sources are describing an internal planning document that could still shift before anything is locked in, meaning both statements could technically become true depending on how “later this year” ends up being defined. It is also possible the expansion tie in Warren describes gets moved earlier, letting Microsoft still hit a 2026 window while bundling in extra content. None of this is confirmed, so treat all three of these as reasonable guesses rather than facts.
Does This Have Anything To Do With Xbox Exclusivity?
A lot of people jumped straight to assuming this is about Microsoft pulling back on multiplatform releases, especially after Xbox confirmed games like Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution as console exclusives. That is a fair instinct, but based on what has actually been reported, it does not appear to be what is happening with Forza Horizon 6 specifically.
Warren’s report frames the delay as a scheduling decision tied to content pacing, not a strategic move to keep the game away from PlayStation. Forza Horizon has also already proven it can sell extremely well without any PS5 release at all across previous entries, so Microsoft does not have an obvious financial reason to suddenly restrict access now. If Microsoft wanted to make a real statement about pulling back exclusivity commitments, a newer or unproven franchise would be a more logical target than one that has already built its audience almost entirely on Xbox and PC.
What This Means If You Are Deciding Whether To Wait
If you already own an Xbox Series console or a gaming PC that can run the game, there is genuinely no reason to wait. You can play the full game today, and any expansion content will presumably reach every platform at the same time it eventually reaches PS5, based on how Warren’s report describes the timing.
If PS5 is your only platform, the honest answer right now is that nobody outside of Microsoft and Playground Games knows the real date with certainty. Given the current back and forth, I would not plan around a 2026 release. If it does show up this year, treat that as a pleasant surprise rather than something to count on. Watching for updates around the Tokyo Game Show in September, where Xbox is confirmed to have a presence, or a possible future PlayStation State of Play, is a reasonable way to catch the next real update rather than refreshing social media every day.
What Could Actually Resolve This
Three things would put this argument to rest. An official release date from Microsoft or Playground Games would immediately settle it, since a specific date is much harder to walk back than a vague phrase like “later this year.” A PlayStation Store listing with a firm date attached would do the same, since PSN listings are usually accurate once they go live. And a direct statement from Playground Games addressing Warren’s report specifically, rather than a general social post, would clarify whether the studio disagrees with the reporting or is simply behind on updating fans.
A Quick Look At What Else Is Happening Around This Story
This delay talk is not happening in isolation. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate pricing has also been shifting recently, with reports from Notebookcheck showing select former subscribers being offered a 12 month rate around $16 per month instead of the standard $22.99, while other users see no discount at all. Microsoft is also reportedly wrestling with whether its next console, known internally as Project Helix, will include a disc drive at all, given how expensive optical drive components have become to source at scale, according to reporting picked up from Windows Central and Digital Foundry. None of these stories directly explain the Forza Horizon 6 situation, but together they paint a picture of an Xbox division that is actively rethinking several parts of its business at the same time, not just quietly running things the same way it always has.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the actual release date for Forza Horizon 6 on PS5?
There is no confirmed date. Playground Games says later in 2026. A report from The Verge’s Tom Warren, published September 9, says the real internal target is early 2027, tied to the game’s first expansion.
Is the PS5 version cancelled?
No. Every report on this topic agrees the game is still coming to PS5. The disagreement is entirely about timing, not whether it happens at all.
Should I buy Forza Horizon 6 on Xbox or PC instead of waiting?
If you already have access to Xbox Series consoles or a capable PC, there is no real reason to wait, since the full game is already available on both. Waiting only makes sense if PS5 is genuinely your only option.
Will the PS5 version include the same content as Xbox and PC?
Based on current reporting, yes. The reported delay is about timing the release with the first expansion, not about giving PlayStation a reduced version of the game.
Where will the next real update likely come from?
Watch for the Tokyo Game Show in September, where Xbox is confirmed to attend, or a future PlayStation State of Play broadcast. Either event is a realistic place for an official date to finally appear.
A Note On Sourcing
This article is a timeline built from official Playground Games and Forza social posts alongside reporting from The Verge, IGN, and Traxion, with direct links placed at each specific claim above. Where information is described as a report or a claim rather than an official confirmation, that distinction is intentional. Nothing here should be treated as confirmed until Microsoft or Playground Games issues a direct statement with a specific date.