With the location of Forza Horizon 6 still not confirmed, we are all wondering where our destination will be for this new open-world sandbox racing game. Everyone has their preferences, but a few options seem more likely than others.
Today, we will be discussing the top ten options of location ideas for Forza Horizon 6. As FH6 takes place in an open-world map, the location is an important factor for the game’s success. Of course, the driving experience is most important, but the choice of setting will play an equally important role in how the game is received.
Previous Forza Horizon Locations
Here is a quick list of the previous locations in the Forza Horizon series. We can pretty much guarantee that the new game will not take place in any of these locations.
- Forza Horizon – Colorado, USA
- Forza Horizon 2 – Southern France and parts of Northern Italy
- Forza Horizon 3 – Australia
- Forza Horizon 4 – United Kingdom
- Forza Horizon 5 – Mexico
Forza Horizon 6 Location Ideas
Japan
Japan is at the top of most Forza Horizon fans’ lists. It is not only a location that is famous for its car culture, but is also a Mecca for drifting. People are claiming this is the most likely location for FH6, and fans of the series would be more than happy with this result. Even if you aren’t aware of the cultural significance of Japan in motorsport, the scenery you can get around the island is tranquil and serene, perfect for breaking the speed limits.
Japan would have everything from the hectic streets of Tokyo (more populated and lively areas are missing from the current map; read our article here on other things we want to see in FH6) to winding mountain roads. So, this location would be perfect for getting a mix of beautiful landscapes and gritty city side roads.
Additionally, this location is perfect for snapping up brilliant pictures of your car collection. The shimmering neon lights and cherry tree avenues are perfect for showing off your favorite ride. Although other racing games feature Japanese racetracks, I can’t think of any open-world driving games set in Japan, so this may fill a missing gap. And with previous Horizon games taking place in various locations of North America, Europe, and Australia, a trip to the continent of Asia might be fun and provide a whole new experience.
Germany
Germany is another location setting that keeps popping up for consideration in Forza Horizon 6. There is no denying that Germany has played a massive role in automobile history, being the home of manufacturers such as Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, and more. Driving around the birthplace of these iconic brands could inspire you to push the throttle that much further.
In this location, we expect to see a mixture of vast landscapes with rural roads, small towns with old timber frame houses, and industrial cities with powerful architecture. All of these will be linked by the infamous Autobahn, the highways in Germany that have no speed limits. We might even see an adaptation of the 25.37 km Nürburgring, which blurs the lines between a race and a rally track.
The only issue I have about Germany is that the landscape visually resembles the United Kingdom. There has been a dramatic change in landscapes across the Forza Horizon series; going from the UK to Germany would feel like a step in the wrong direction. Regardless, Playground will do enough to make it unique and different from its previous location.
China
Another option to entice the Asian market would be to host Forza Horizon 6 in China. As China is such a vast country with a strong visual identity, it would provide stunning landscapes with the addition of smaller details that would add character and charm to the map. This also means developers would have the freedom to approach the map design in a number of different ways.
The recently released — and heavily maligned — Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown was based in Hong Kong, so this may have swayed developers from pursuing this location in the future. But TDUSC hasn’t had the most popular launch and also doesn’t cover the country, just one specific city.
China doesn’t have the same relationship with the car industry as the two first options (but then again, neither did Mexico) so the appeal isn’t as strong. Regardless, there doesn’t need to be a historical link, as its the location and the exploration that matters.
Similar to Japan, China can provide an interesting contrast between rural landscapes and futuristic cities. Playground could add elements like the Great Wall of China and the Shanghai International Circuit. I wouldn’t be disappointed if the location was China, as I love Asian landscapes and think they would translate well to an open-world racing game.
South Africa
Africa is a continent that Forza Horizon has yet to venture to. South Africa would be an obvious choice for Africa as it hosts the only Grand Prix on the continent. Additionally, it has the same big city/rural landscape options as the options above. South Africa’s unique identity would translate well to an open-world map.
One of the coolest elements would be the option for off-road tracks to be in safari locations. How fun would it be if FH added animals to the game? Maybe it’s best they don’t, as animals walking out onto the roads could get in the way of setting our fastest times. But this would be a way to make the map seem alive and also add an extra element to causal driving in the game (and give us unique cars to build).
The map could include points of interest, such as coastal Cape Town and the hustle of Johannesburg. In between, you could have epic mountainscapes, providing a truly wild driving experience. I would particularly like the off-road locations, something that Forza Horizon 5 continued to add to after the game’s release.
Dubai
We also haven’t seen the Middle East feature in any driving games, and the most likely option is to go for the clean and smooth streets of Dubai. Dubai is now synonymous with supercars and pushing customizations to their limits. This makes it the perfect place to have hypercars racing around the streets.
Landscape-wise, the United Arab Emirates would also be able to provide a diverse contrast of scenery to make a map feel like an entire country. Dubai itself could take up almost half the map with its wide streets and towering skyscrapers. Then, you would be able to have the deserts just outside of the city, linking the landscape with Abu Dhabi, where the F1 track is held.
A fun feature of the Forza Horizon series is the Barn Finds. How cool would it be to have random hypercars dotted around the map to pick up and add to the collection? As more sporting events, especially motorsports, take place in this region, it is more likely that we will see its representation in video games sooner rather than later.
South Korea
Another contender that seems to be a fan favorite is South Korea. This seems to be the most unlikely location out of the Asian countries, but it is still a possibility. Even though South Korea doesn’t have an established motorsports culture, there is still an F1 track. This track hasn’t hosted an F1 race since 2013, but there are talks to bring it back.
South Korea is currently one of the most influential countries in the world if you consider its culture. From K-pop to the recent rise in cinema, South Korea has taken its place within modern pop culture, making it prime for a video game feature. Especially as Seoul has become a popular tourist destination in recent years.
Considering Seoul, FH6 would be able to feature this futuristic city as the main point of interest on the map. South Korea also offers beautiful temples across the rural landscape, perfect places for car meets and photographing your favorite vehicle.
Texas, USA
Forza Horizon hasn’t been in the States since its first iteration. Although it is unlikely to see the franchise return, it is always a great idea for a location thanks to America’s rich motorsports history. Also, as Colorado was the last location in the USA, it would make sense to have the latest version in one of the southern states.
Everything is bigger in Texas. So this allows the game to incorporate big trucks and over-the-top customization to our cars. Also, wide-stretching roads and the wild Chihuahuan desert would make for a fun driving experience. Maybe we wouldn’t see the desert area, as Mexico was the last location. Instead, we could see other southern states like Oklahoma or Arkansas incorporated into the same map.
The other alternative is to feature the eastern coastal side of Texas. Players would drive around Houston and potentially stretch into Louisiana, which has vibrant cities like New Orleans. This would add a unique visual identity to the game and would be a switch-up from the previous locations in the series.
Canada
Should FH6 return to North America (which again is unlikely as Mexico was the last location), we could see Canada as the location for FH6. I love this idea as I’m attracted to snowy mountains and dense forests. The eastern area around Toronto and Montreal would have a mix of cities and nature, while the west coast would allow for wilder landscapes.
The biggest benefit of basing FH6 in Canada is its vastness. The open road would translate well into an FH map, making it feel like an entire country rather than a small suburban area.
Canada doesn’t have any strong ties to motorsport history, but it does have an F1 track in Montreal. It doesn’t seem like the most relevant place to have FH6, but seeing as three out of the last five locations were in warm climates, it would be nice to return to somewhere with a cold and harsh wintery feel.
Scandinavia (Norway/Sweden)
Speaking of a cold and harsh winter climate, the Scandinavian region would be another strong contender for a location I would like to see in Forza Horizon 6. Again, apart from Volvo and Saab, there aren’t too many motor industry ties to this region. But the landscape would be an incredible experience for gamers across the world.
The Scandinavian coast would allow drivers to experience the Atlantic road, a beautiful stretch of highway that goes along the coast and bounces around small islands in places. Also, the fjords would provide windy coastal paths with incredible views.
Death Stranding was based on this location, and its fanbase absolutely loved its landscape. Incorporating this space into a racing game would be more challenging, but Colorado was done pretty well in the first Forza Horizon.
Spain
Community members have spotted that every other Forza Horizon game occurs in Europe. So, following this logic, the next FH will again take place somewhere within Europe. We have already mentioned Germany and Scandinavia, but Spain is another strong contender.
Spain is a beautiful and varied country, allowing for a lot of flexibility in the landscape design. It doesn’t have any futuristic cities, but I would imagine a lot of small cute towns to drive through, along with bigger cities such as Madrid or Barcelona. I have personally driven across large sections of Spain, and it would be amazing to simulate pushing the limits of each road.
There aren’t any famous Spanish car brands that have made a splash in the motorsports scene, but there are a variety of races held in the country. This is reflected in the number of race tracks across the country. The community said they would like more race tracks to dip in and out of across the entire map.
I don’t think Playground will choose Spain for FH6, though. I know Mexico is across the world, but it has a similar small-town vibe when out in the rural landscape. Therefore, I think we are more likely to see Germany if the game comes back across the pond.
Published: Feb 4, 2025 2:14 PM UTC