Forza Horizon 6 hit Steam on May 15 with advanced access for $119.99 Premium Edition buyers, drawing a surge of 172,000 peak concurrent players within seven hours. The spike placed the title second on Steam’s Top Sellers, just behind Subnautica 2, which topped the chart a day earlier. The numbers hint at a massive launch on May 19.

Steam data alone underestimates total engagement, as players also buy the game on Microsoft Store for PC or on Xbox Series consoles. Compared to Horizon 5, which peaked at 81,096 concurrent users, Horizon 6’s early numbers already exceed its predecessor by more than 100 %. The jump signals stronger franchise momentum.

The rapid uptake shows that the open‑world racing formula still attracts large audiences, and it raises expectations for post‑launch support and content drops. With a premium tier priced at $119.99, Microsoft positions the game as a high‑end title that rewards early adopters with exclusive features and early access.

Steam’s real concurrent peak likely tops 200,000 when all platforms are counted, suggesting the official launch will match or surpass Horizon 5’s lifetime engagement. This scale of early adoption will inform Microsoft’s future roadmap for the Horizon series and its broader strategy around live‑service games.