Pirates have already cracked Forza Horizon 6 days before its official release, with unencrypted footage circulating on YouTube and livestreams as of Monday. This follows a similar 2023 pre-release leak of Death Stranding 2 to Steam, which blunted its impact since it was already available on PS5 for over a year. In 2018, Denuvo protection for *Hitman 2* was broken pre-launch due to early access, costing Microsoft—though no figures were cited then—while a 2024 Denuvo study estimates a 20% revenue drop when pre-release cracks are available.

This pre-release crack of Forza Horizon 6—set to launch May 19 (May 15 for $120 Premium Edition pre-purchasers)—could have severe financial consequences. The 2024 Denuvo study, which didn't analyze pre-release cracks, suggests the potential economic impact is likely higher than 20%.

Microsoft, which uses Denuvo to protect its games, is at risk of revenue loss due to this pre-release crack. The leak of an unprotected early version to preorder customers' early access channel could cost Microsoft millions, especially since the game's launch is imminent.