Forza Horizon Leak Spreads Before May 19 Release

The forza horizon leak appears to have put the PC version of Forza Horizon 6 online before release. Playground Games says the build was obtained ahead of launch and that access is now drawing strict punishment.

Forza Horizon 6 is scheduled for general release on May 19. Players who buy the Premium Edition get early access from May 15.

Playground Games bans access

Playground Games said, "We are aware of reports that a build of Forza Horizon 6 has been obtained prior to its release and can confirm this is not the result of a pre-load issue."

The studio also said, "We are taking strict enforcement action against any individuals found accessing this build including franchise-wide and hardware bans. We encourage fans to sit tight for the game’s release on May 19."

PC build spread online

Numerous sources online, including the Gaming Leaks and Rumours Reddit page, reported that the PC version had been acquired, cracked, and made available for download by pirates.

The leading theory says the pre-loaded version was uploaded to Steam's backend on Sunday by a developer without encryption, and that unsecured upload then let some people download the files and apply a crack to make the game playable.

What players saw

Other players have posted screenshots on social media and videos on YouTube of them playing the game, while others are sharing advice on Reddit about how to bypass crashes and freezes.

VGC saw the game available for download on certain websites but did not download it and could not verify its validity.

Microsoft has yet to comment, and the leak lands as Forza Horizon 6 brings the series to Japan after years of player requests and after Forza Horizon 5 earned a Metacritic score of 92. The unresolved question now is whether the people behind the download trail will face only the bans Playground Games named or whether the broader distribution route will be cut off before May 15 early access begins.