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Yes. Forza Horizon 6 supports cross-play and cross-save across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, and PlayStation 5. Players on those platforms can race together online, and their campaign progress and other saved data are designed to follow them between versions. The important limitation is ownership: Xbox Play Anywhere explicitly covers purchases shared between an Xbox Series X|S console and the Microsoft Store version on Windows PC, while DLC portability from Steam or PlayStation 5 is not universally promised.
What cross-play and cross-progression mean in Forza Horizon 6
Playground Games uses the term cross-play for multiplayer across different hardware platforms and cross-save for the saved-progress feature. In practical terms, an Xbox player can join a friend on Steam, a Microsoft Store PC player can race with someone on PlayStation 5, and a player can move between supported versions without starting the campaign over.
The cross-save statement covers your progression toward becoming a Horizon Legend. It is not merely a way to share a friends list: the stated purpose is to keep your saved progress available as you change platforms. The PS5 announcement also says that several types of user-generated content are cross-platform, including EventLab races, Prefabs, Garages and Estates, Liveries, and Tuning Setups.
Cross-play and cross-save are related but separate from a purchase license. Being able to play with someone on another platform does not automatically mean that one storefront purchase grants the game or every add-on on every other storefront.
#1 Best Overall
- DISCOVER JAPAN — Explore Horizon’s largest map ever, set in Japan and packed with dramatic verticality, diverse biomes, and spectacular open‑road driving routes.
- CRUISE ICONIC LOCATIONS — Drive through Tokyo’s city streets, suburbs, docks, and industrial districts in the most expansive urban environment in Horizon history.
- DRIVE 550+ REAL‑WORLD CARS — Collect and customize over 550 licensed vehicles with body kits, Forza Aero, window liveries, and enhanced steering animations.
- BUILD YOUR ESTATE — Purchase beautiful homes across Japan and customize garages to showcase your growing car collection as you rise through the Horizon Festival.
- JOIN THE HORIZON COMMUNITY — Race, cruise, and compete with friends in Time Attack Circuits, Drag Meets, Car Meets, and Horizon multiplayer modes, including Spec Racing Championships.
Which platforms can play together?
| Platform | Cross-play | Cross-save | Purchase and timing notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X|S | Yes, with Xbox PC, Steam, and PS5 | Yes, with the listed platforms | Xbox/Windows Store purchases receive the explicit Play Anywhere entitlement described below |
| Xbox on PC | Yes, with Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and PS5 | Yes, with the listed platforms | Here, “Xbox on PC” means the Microsoft Store or Xbox app version on Windows, not Steam |
| Steam on PC | Yes, with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, and PS5 | Yes, with the listed platforms | Requires an Xbox Live account linked to Steam; its store listing requires Microsoft account registration for cross-platform play |
| PlayStation 5 | Yes, with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, and Steam | Yes, with the listed platforms | Scheduled for January 26, 2027; Premium Edition early access is scheduled for January 21, 2027 |
These are the four platforms explicitly named by Playground Games. The announcements do not establish cross-play or cross-save for additional platforms, so do not assume that an Xbox One or another unlisted version is included.
Can Xbox and Steam players play Forza Horizon 6 together?
Yes. Xbox Series X|S, the Microsoft Store/Xbox PC version, and Steam are all included in the official cross-play feature statement. A Steam player must link an Xbox Live account to the Steam account, and the Steam listing says Microsoft account registration is required for cross-platform play.
Rank #2
- PREMIUM EDITION — Includes the full game, VIP Membership, Welcome Pack, Time Attack Car Pack, Car Pass, Italian Passion Car Pack, and two Premium Expansions (coming post launch).
- DISCOVER JAPAN — Explore Horizon’s largest map ever, set in Japan and packed with dramatic verticality, diverse biomes, and spectacular open‑road driving routes.
- CRUISE ICONIC LOCATIONS — Drive through Tokyo’s city streets, suburbs, docks, and industrial districts in the most expansive urban environment in Horizon history.
- DRIVE 550+ REAL‑WORLD CARS — Collect and customize over 550 licensed vehicles with body kits, Forza Aero, window liveries, and enhanced steering animations.
- BUILD YOUR ESTATE — Purchase beautiful homes across Japan and customize garages to showcase your growing car collection as you rise through the Horizon Festival.
The account link is the identity bridge for multiplayer and saved data. Use the Microsoft/Xbox account you intend to keep using before you invest significant time in the game. Starting with one account and later trying to combine progress from a different account can create an account-identity problem that cross-save is not designed to solve.
Does progress transfer between PC, Xbox, and PS5?
Yes, cross-save is announced between all four named platform groups, including PC-to-PS5 and Xbox-to-PS5 transfers once the PS5 version is available. A campaign advanced on Xbox is intended to remain available on Steam; a Steam save is intended to remain available on PS5; and a PS5 player can continue that progress on an Xbox or supported PC version.
Rank #3
- PREMIUM UPGRADE — Includes VIP Membership, Welcome Pack, Time Attack Car Pack, Car Pass, Italian Passion Car Pack, and two Premium Expansions. Requires Forza Horizon 6 base game or Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
- VIP MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS — Enjoy a 2x Credit boost to race rewards, 3 VIP-Exclusive Forza Edition cars, a weekly bonus Super Wheelspin, and special Vanity Items.
- WELCOME PACK — Features 5 special pre-tuned cars and a Car Voucher, which can be used to claim any car available from the Autoshow.
- TIME ATTACK CAR PACK — Receive 8 legendary cars ideal for mastering every turn and corner at the Time Attack Circuits located around Japan.
- ITALIAN PASSION CAR PACK — Introduces 4 great new Italian cars in Forza Horizon 6 post-launch, perfect for cruising, racing, or exploring.
What the save feature covers
- Campaign and other saved progression are intended to remain available when moving among Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Steam, and PS5.
- The PS5 announcement specifically includes cross-platform user-created material such as EventLab races, Prefabs, Garages and Estates, Liveries, and Tuning Setups.
- Cross-save depends on using the account identity associated with the supported versions; it is not an anonymous, device-only save transfer.
“Cross-save” is the official wording, while “cross-progression” is the player-friendly description of the same continuity. Both refer to progress following your account rather than being locked to one console or PC installation.
Do you have to buy Forza Horizon 6 twice?
It depends on the stores involved. Xbox Play Anywhere provides the clearest no-repeat-purchase guarantee: if you buy the digital game on an Xbox Series X|S console or through the Microsoft Store on a Windows PC, you can play it on both platforms. Playground Games says that the save profile and DLC entitlements carry over between those two versions without another purchase.
Rank #4
- DELUXE EDITION — Includes the full game, Welcome Pack, and Car Pass, delivering 30 additional cars to your garage with one new car released each week.
- DISCOVER JAPAN — Explore Horizon’s largest map ever, set in Japan and packed with dramatic verticality, diverse biomes, and spectacular open‑road driving routes.
- CRUISE ICONIC LOCATIONS — Drive through Tokyo’s city streets, suburbs, docks, and industrial districts in the most expansive urban environment in Horizon history.
- DRIVE 550+ REAL‑WORLD CARS — Collect and customize over 550 licensed vehicles with body kits, Forza Aero, window liveries, and enhanced steering animations.
- BUILD YOUR ESTATE — Purchase beautiful homes across Japan and customize garages to showcase your growing car collection as you rise through the Horizon Festival.
Steam is specifically excluded from that Play Anywhere statement. The game can still cross-play and cross-save between Steam and the Xbox or PS5 versions, but the cited announcements do not promise that a Steam purchase grants a Microsoft Store or console license.
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The same caution applies to PlayStation 5. Cross-play and cross-save are explicitly supported with Xbox and Steam, but the available statements do not say that every paid DLC item bought on PS5 transfers to another storefront, or that DLC bought elsewhere automatically unlocks on PS5. Treat game licenses and add-on licenses as storefront-specific unless the platform holder or the game’s current entitlement terms say otherwise.
Best Value
- FORZA HORIZON 6 LIMITED EDITION — Explore breathtaking Japan with the XBOX Wireless Controller – Forza Horizon 6 Limited Edition. Inspired by the winding Touge roads of Japan, this controller blends high-performance style with festival flair.
- FESTIVAL-INSPIRED DESIGN — Watch the translucent top case and triggers unveil dynamic lighting effects of a vibrant pink and green XBOX button. Bold pink thumbsticks, multi-color ABXY buttons, and a Horizon logo stamped on the battery door seal the look.
- RACING-READY GRIP — Lock into the open-world driving action with black and pink diamond-patterned grips and textured triggers built for every moment on the road.
- UP TO 40 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Get up to 40 hours of battery life so you can explore Japan from neon-lit streets to mountain passes without stopping to recharge.*
- PLAY ACROSS EVERY SCREEN — Quickly pair with, play on, and switch between console and PC. Stream games across mobile, gaming handhelds, Smart TVs, and supported VR headsets with XBOX Cloud Gaming.**
| Purchase route | What is explicitly guaranteed | What is not established |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X|S digital purchase + Microsoft Store Windows purchase | Xbox Play Anywhere: play on both, with the save profile and DLC entitlements carried over without repurchasing | Nothing additional is needed for this Xbox/Microsoft Store pairing |
| Steam purchase | Cross-play and cross-save with the named Xbox and PS5 versions, subject to account linking | A universal license or automatic DLC transfer to Xbox, Microsoft Store PC, or PS5 |
| PS5 purchase | Cross-play and cross-save with Xbox and Steam versions | A universal license or automatic DLC transfer to Steam, Xbox, or Microsoft Store PC |
When is Forza Horizon 6 available on each platform?
Xbox Series X|S and PC
Playground Games announced Xbox Series X|S and PC availability for May 19, 2026. The launch announcement describes more than 550 cars at launch. For PC, the supported choices in the cross-play statement are the Microsoft Store/Xbox version and Steam.
PlayStation 5
The current official product information lists January 26, 2027, as the PS5 release date. The PS5 Premium Edition is scheduled to provide early access from January 21, 2027. Until the PS5 version is released, Xbox and PC players cannot actually join PS5 players, even though the cross-play and cross-save feature has been announced.
Steam’s store page displays May 18, 2026, while the publisher’s launch announcement gives May 19, 2026. That one-day difference is best treated as a storefront or time-zone presentation difference; May 19 is the publisher’s general launch date.
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How to set up cross-play and cross-save
The exact menu labels can vary by platform and may change in updates, but the required account flow is straightforward.
- Choose the account you will keep. Use the Microsoft/Xbox account that should hold your Horizon progress. Avoid creating a second account just for another platform.
- Install a supported version. Select Xbox Series X|S, the Microsoft Store/Xbox PC version, Steam, or PS5 when that edition becomes available.
- On Steam, link Xbox Live. Follow the game’s sign-in or account-linking flow and connect the Steam account to the intended Xbox Live/Microsoft account. The Steam listing requires this link for cross-platform play.
- Complete Microsoft account registration if prompted. Steam’s listing identifies Microsoft account registration as a requirement for cross-platform play.
- Sign in with the same identity on the other platform. When moving from Xbox to PC, Steam, or PS5, use the account associated with the original save rather than a different Microsoft account.
- Confirm your save before switching devices. Allow the current session to finish saving, then launch the other version while signed in to the same account. The cross-save system is intended to make the existing progression available there.
- Invite or join through the game’s multiplayer tools. Once each player is online with the required account link, platform differences should not prevent an Xbox, PC, Steam, and PS5 group from playing together within the supported combinations.
Common situations and the correct expectation
| Situation | Expected result |
|---|---|
| Xbox Series X|S player joins a Steam friend | Supported cross-play; Steam account must be linked to Xbox Live/Microsoft account |
| Progress started on Microsoft Store PC, then continued on Xbox Series X|S | Supported, with Play Anywhere also covering the digital game, save profile, and DLC entitlements for that pairing |
| Progress started on Xbox, then continued on Steam | Cross-save is supported, but the Steam purchase remains a separate storefront license |
| Progress started on Steam, then continued on PS5 | Cross-save is announced for the supported versions once PS5 is available; do not assume Steam DLC transfers |
| PS5 player joins an Xbox player before January 26, 2027 | Not possible yet because the PS5 edition is scheduled for that date; Premium early access is scheduled for January 21 |
Limitations to keep in mind
- Cross-play is not the same as cross-buy. Shared multiplayer does not make every storefront purchase interchangeable.
- Play Anywhere has a defined scope. Its explicit guarantee is Xbox Series X|S plus Microsoft Store Windows PC. Steam is expressly outside that statement.
- DLC transfer is the uncertain area. The cited official material confirms DLC entitlement carry-over for the Xbox/Microsoft Store pairing, but not universal portability from Steam or PS5.
- PS5 availability is scheduled, not present at the earlier Xbox/PC launch. The announced January 2027 dates matter when planning a cross-platform group.
- Account identity matters. A link to the wrong Microsoft/Xbox account can leave you looking at a different save profile; cross-save does not merge unrelated accounts.
Bottom line for choosing a platform
If your priority is playing with the largest group, all four announced platforms—Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Steam, and PS5—share the same cross-play pool. If your priority is guaranteed purchase continuity, the safest documented combination is an Xbox Series X|S console and the Microsoft Store version on Windows, because Xbox Play Anywhere explicitly carries the game, save profile, and DLC entitlements between them. Steam and PS5 still provide cross-play and cross-save, but check the entitlement terms for each add-on before assuming you can access it on another storefront.
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