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Buy Gran Turismo 7 if you want a PS5 racing game today, track-focused competition, Sport Mode, Gran Turismo Sophy, or confirmed PS VR2 support. Wait for Forza Horizon 6 if your priority is an open-world driving adventure set in Japan, festival progression, exploration, and cross-platform play. Forza Horizon 6 is scheduled for PS5 on January 26, 2027, with Premium Edition early access from January 21, so it is not a playable alternative yet.

The short answer: choose based on structure and timing

These games target different kinds of racing players. Gran Turismo 7 is an available PS5 track-racing game built around cars, circuits, structured events, online competition, and a large collection. Forza Horizon 6 is an announced open-world driving game in Japan, centered on exploration, festival activities, creative events, and multiplayer across several platforms.

That distinction matters more than the headline car counts. If you are choosing a game to play on your PS5 this week, GT7 is the only one of the two available now. If you are willing to wait for the January 2027 launch and want to roam a Japanese open world rather than select races from menus and circuits, FH6 is the more relevant fit.

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Forza Horizon 6 PS5 vs Gran Turismo 7 at a glance

Decision point Forza Horizon 6 on PS5 Gran Turismo 7 on PS5
Availability Scheduled for January 26, 2027. Premium Edition early access starts January 21, 2027. Standard and Deluxe Editions release on January 26. Available now on PS5.
Primary format Open-world driving and exploration in Japan, with festival progression, activities, meets, and user-created events. Track and circuit-route racing, car collecting, structured events, Sport Mode, and online championships.
Published car figure More than 550 real-world cars, according to the 2026 PlayStation Store listing. Over 400 cars, according to the official Gran Turismo product page.
Published route figure The cited PS5 listing does not state a comparable track-route total. Over 90 track routes, with dynamic weather, according to the official product page.
Online access PlayStation Plus is required for console online multiplayer. The game advertises cross-play and cross-save among Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PS5, and Steam. PlayStation Plus is required for Sport Mode and Lobby, according to the online manual.
VR The official PS5 announcements cited here do not announce VR support. That is not a permanent statement that VR will never be supported. PS VR2 is supported on PS5.
What is still unverified PS5 frame rate, resolution, performance, final controls, wheel compatibility, and hands-on driving feel remain unknown before release. The official product page identifies the current product iteration as SPEC III, begun with a December 4, 2025 update; update details can change.

The figures are not a like-for-like quality score. FH6 emphasizes a large explorable world and a broad car roster, while GT7 explicitly counts track routes as well as cars. Neither total tells you which game will suit your preferred way of spending time.

#1 Best Overall
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Gran Turismo 7 Standard Edition - PlayStation 5
  • With the return of classic cars, iconic tracks, and fan-favourite modes like GT Simulation and Sport Mode - Gran Turismo 7 is the complete Real Driving Simulator, 25 years in the making.
  • Find your line. Whether you're a racer, collector, tuner, designer, photographer or arcade fan - immerse yourself in the facets of automotive culture that matter most to you.
  • Connect and compete. Join an international community of drivers to share race strategies, tuning tips, livery designs and photos, before taking to the track to go head-to-head.

When can you play each game on PS5?

Gran Turismo 7 is the immediate purchase

GT7 already has a PS5 edition. You can buy it and begin its track-racing campaign without waiting for a future console release. Its online features require a PlayStation Plus membership, but the game itself is not awaiting a PS5 launch.

Forza Horizon 6 arrives in January 2027

Playground Games announced on October 8, 2026 that the PS5 Standard and Deluxe Editions will release on January 26, 2027. Premium Edition owners receive early access beginning January 21, five days earlier. The publisher says PS5 players can preorder and that a physical PS5 disc will be sold through supporting retailers.

“Forza Horizon 6 Standard and Deluxe Editions will be released on January 26, 2027, with Early Access for Premium Edition owners starting five days earlier on January 21.” — Playground Games, October 8, 2026

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The PS5 version is being developed by Panic Button in cooperation with Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios. A preorder is a purchase for a future release; it should not be treated as access to a playable PS5 build today.

Open-world Japan or dedicated racing circuits?

What FH6 is designed to provide

FH6’s announced setting is an open world in Japan. Its activities include driving and exploration, festival events, car meets, multiplayer activities, creative tools, and custom event creation. You can therefore expect the central loop to involve moving around a connected environment, discovering activities, and progressing through a festival rather than selecting every contest from a track menu.

This structure suits players who regard the car as a way to explore a place as much as a tool for winning a race. A session can involve reaching an event, driving between activities, meeting other players, or building a custom challenge. The publisher also advertises cross-play and cross-save, making FH6 the more natural choice for households or friend groups spread across Xbox, PC, PS5, and Steam.

Those are announced features, not a hands-on assessment. The PS5 edition has not released, so its loading behavior, image quality, frame-rate options, controller response, and the feel of driving in the Japanese map cannot yet be judged from verified PS5 testing.

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What GT7 is designed to provide

GT7 concentrates on track and circuit-route racing. Its official page lists over 90 track routes, dynamic weather, car collecting, Sport Mode Daily Races, and an annual Online Championship. The game is a better match when you want repeatable laps, qualifying and race formats, organized online competition, and a collection that is closely tied to track events.

GT7 does not offer the same announced open-world festival structure as FH6. Its appeal is the clarity of a dedicated racing venue: choose a route, prepare a car, race, and develop your collection and skills through the available events. That focus is useful if free-roaming is a distraction rather than the point of the game.

How progression and activities differ

FH6: festival-led progression

Forza Horizon 6’s announced progression is organized around a festival in Japan. Festival events provide the framework for advancing through the world, while exploration, meets, multiplayer activities, and creative tools add reasons to leave the main route. Custom event creation is also listed for the PS5 release, so players who enjoy designing challenges may spend time making activities as well as completing them.

  • Choose FH6’s structure if: you want a sense of place, free driving between activities, and progression that unfolds through a festival.
  • Be cautious if: you need confirmed PS5 technical details or a proven competitive balance before buying. Those details are unavailable until the console edition is released and tested.

GT7: collection, events, and organized online racing

GT7’s official feature set emphasizes a car collection, track routes, Sport Mode Daily Races, and an annual Online Championship. That combination supports players who want a clear route from acquiring cars to entering structured races, then comparing their results with other drivers online.

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Gran Turismo Sophy is another differentiator. On PS5, GT7 includes GT Sophy, a next-generation racing AI agent developed through a collaboration between Polyphony Digital, Sony AI, and Sony Interactive Entertainment. If you are interested in racing against an advanced AI opponent rather than only pursuing open-world activities, this confirmed PS5 feature favors GT7.

Cars and routes: how to read the numbers

Published statistic Source and qualification How to interpret it
More than 550 real-world cars Forza Horizon 6 PS5 PlayStation Store listing, 2026. A roster claim for an open-world game; the listing uses “more than,” not an exact final total.
Over 400 cars Official Gran Turismo 7 product page. A car-collection figure; the page also separately reports track routes.
Over 90 track routes Official Gran Turismo 7 product page, with dynamic weather. A route count that describes GT7’s dedicated racing environment, not an open-world map size.

FH6 has the larger published car figure, but that does not automatically mean more meaningful content for a track-racing fan. GT7’s over-90 route figure addresses a different question: how many track layouts and variants are available for structured racing. Compare the numbers only after deciding whether you value roaming variety or repeatable circuit competition.

Because FH6 is unreleased on PS5, the final roster, post-launch additions, and the way its cars are distributed across activities should be checked against the current PlayStation Store listing before purchase. The same principle applies to GT7: live-service game details and update content can change, so verify the current product page and version information when you buy.

Online multiplayer, PlayStation Plus, and cross-platform play

FH6 online requirements and progression

The PS5 store listing says console online multiplayer requires a separately sold PlayStation Plus subscription. Playground Games also advertises cross-play and cross-save across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PlayStation 5, and Steam. This is the stronger choice if your friends use different platforms or if you want one progression path that follows you between supported systems.

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Cross-play means players on the listed platforms can participate together where the feature applies; cross-save means supported progress can carry between those platforms. Confirm account-linking and platform-specific conditions in the current service documentation at launch, because the feature announcement does not establish every restriction or mode rule.

GT7 online requirements

GT7’s online manual states that PlayStation Plus is required for Sport Mode and Lobby. Sport Mode is the game’s organized competitive environment, including Daily Races and the annual Online Championship described on the product page. If online competition is your main reason for buying, budget for the subscription in addition to the game and ensure your PS5 account can use the required service.

GT7 is therefore not a substitute for FH6’s announced cross-platform ecosystem. It is aimed at PlayStation-based track competition, while FH6 promises a broader platform network. Both choices require PlayStation Plus for the cited online features on PS5.

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PS VR2 and other PS5-specific considerations

GT7 has the confirmed VR advantage

Gran Turismo 7 supports PlayStation VR2 on PS5. For a PS5 owner who already has the headset, this is a concrete feature available in the current game and can settle the decision without comparing car counts.

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The GT7 product page also identifies GT Sophy on PS5. Together, VR2 support and the AI feature give GT7 two confirmed PS5-specific reasons to choose it over waiting for an unreleased port.

FH6 VR support is not established in the cited announcements

The official FH6 PS5 sources used for this comparison do not announce VR support. That is the limit of the evidence: it does not prove that VR will never be added. Treat VR2 as a confirmed GT7 feature, and wait for an explicit FH6 announcement before buying the upcoming game for headset use.

Do not assume wheel compatibility

PlayStation’s GT7 purchase page references a Logitech G923 racing wheel and pedals as an optional accessory category. The available information does not verify that any particular wheel model works with both GT7 and FH6 on PS5. If a wheel is important to your setup, check the exact model’s compatibility list for each game after FH6’s PS5 requirements are published rather than inferring support from a generic racing-wheel listing.

Who should buy GT7 now?

  • You need a game immediately: GT7 is available on PS5; FH6 is not scheduled until January 2027.
  • You prefer track racing: GT7’s over 90 track routes, structured events, and Sport Mode fit a circuit-first routine.
  • You want organized online competition: Daily Races and the annual Online Championship are official GT7 features, with PlayStation Plus required for Sport Mode and Lobby.
  • You own PS VR2: GT7 has confirmed PS VR2 support on PS5.
  • You are interested in GT Sophy: The PS5 version includes the AI racing agent described by the official product page.
  • You would rather collect cars than explore a map: GT7’s stated focus puts the collection and routes at the center of progression.

GT7 is also the lower-risk purchase for anyone who cannot evaluate an unreleased port. Its PS5 edition, current feature set, and online requirements are documented now, while FH6’s practical PS5 performance remains to be demonstrated.

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Who should wait for FH6?

  • You want Japan as a place to explore: FH6 is announced as an open-world game set in Japan.
  • You prefer festival progression: Its activities are organized around a festival rather than only around circuit events.
  • You enjoy free driving and social activities: Car meets, exploration, multiplayer activities, and creative tools are part of the announced feature set.
  • Your friends play on different platforms: Cross-play and cross-save are advertised across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PS5, and Steam.
  • You are comfortable waiting: Standard and Deluxe launch January 26, 2027; Premium early access begins January 21.

Wait rather than preorder if you need confirmed frame-rate modes, resolution, steering response, wheel support, or independent assessments of the PS5 version. None of those details is established by the announcement and store information currently available.

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A practical decision process

  1. Decide whether “now” matters. If you want to play this month, choose GT7. FH6 cannot meet an immediate-play requirement before its scheduled January 2027 release.
  2. Choose your world structure. Select GT7 for circuits and track routes; select FH6 for a connected Japanese open world with festival activities and exploration.
  3. Check your multiplayer group. GT7 requires PlayStation Plus for Sport Mode and Lobby. FH6 requires PlayStation Plus for console online multiplayer and advertises cross-play across PS5, Xbox, and Steam.
  4. Check for VR. PS VR2 owners have a confirmed option in GT7. Do not count on FH6 VR support until the publisher announces it.
  5. Separate confirmed features from future promises. Treat FH6’s release date, car figure, cross-platform features, and setting as announced facts, but leave PS5 performance, controls, resolution, frame rate, and final hands-on feel undecided until launch testing.
  6. Recheck live information before purchase. Verify the current PlayStation Store edition, release status, subscription requirements, and GT7 update information because listings and online features can change.

What is still unknown about FH6 on PS5?

The future release date and announced features answer the largest buying question, but not every technical one. No independent benchmark or hands-on PS5 comparison is established here. You should not infer a frame rate, resolution target, loading performance, controller behavior, steering-wheel compatibility, or comparative driving feel for FH6 from its Xbox, PC, or publisher descriptions.

That uncertainty is especially important for enthusiasts choosing hardware around the game. A category-level racing wheel may be sensible, but the exact model and support conditions need confirmation for FH6. Similarly, the absence of a VR announcement is not proof of permanent non-support; it simply means VR2 is currently a confirmed GT7 feature and not a confirmed FH6 feature.

Buying without confusing a preorder with a current game

If you buy GT7

Look for the PS5 edition of Gran Turismo 7. The official product page is the appropriate place to confirm the current version, feature list, car and route descriptions, and PS VR2 support. If you intend to use Sport Mode or Lobby, include an active PlayStation Plus membership in your plan.

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If you preorder FH6

Check that the listing is explicitly for the PS5 edition and note whether it is Standard, Deluxe, or Premium. Standard and Deluxe are scheduled for January 26, 2027; Premium early access is scheduled for January 21. A physical disc is expected through supporting retailers, while digital listings should display the same release timing and platform clearly.

Do not describe FH6 as playable on PS5 before those dates. Its announced features make it a credible future purchase for open-world fans, but its final technical behavior must be evaluated after the PS5 edition ships.

Verdict

For most PS5 owners making a decision today, Gran Turismo 7 is the practical recommendation: it is available now, offers dedicated track racing, over 400 cars, over 90 track routes, Sport Mode, GT Sophy, and confirmed PS VR2 support. Choose it when immediate access and organized racing matter more than free-roaming.

Forza Horizon 6 is the better future choice for open-world drivers. Wait for its January 26, 2027 PS5 release (or January 21 Premium early access) if Japan, festival progression, exploration, custom events, and cross-platform play are the features you actually want. The games are complementary styles rather than interchangeable versions of the same racing experience.

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