Forza Horizon 6 has taken the top spot on Metacritic for 2026, sitting at a 92 and becoming the only game this year to break the 90-point threshold, as reported by Push Square. That puts Playground Games‘ Japan-set open-world racer clear of every other 2026 release so far – including Resident Evil Requiem and Saros, both of which came agonisingly close to the 90 mark without crossing it. For a franchise that’s been quietly building toward mainstream dominance since 2012, a score like this isn’t a surprise – but it is a statement.
To understand what a 92 actually means in context: it lands comfortably ahead of the rest of 2026’s field and puts FH6 in genuinely elite company for the franchise. The series has always reviewed well, but this is the kind of score that signals critical consensus rather than just goodwill – and it arrives on the back of a setting fans have been requesting for years. As we covered when FH6 leaked ahead of its official announcement, the Japan map was the worst-kept secret in racing games, and it turns out the execution has matched the anticipation. Specialist outlet OverTake calls it ‘Playground’s most confident Horizon yet,’ noting the setting finally matches the series’ mechanics in a way Mexico never quite did for everyone.
Honestly, this score matters less as a racing game milestone and more as an Xbox platform story. Microsoft has had a complicated few years on the critical reception front, and a first-party exclusive landing a 92 – the kind of number that anchors GOTY conversations – is exactly the narrative reset the platform needed. The PS5 version isn’t out yet, and given that Forza Horizon 5 shifted over five million units on PlayStation after its late port, the commercial upside still ahead of this game is enormous.
The question now is whether anything catches it before December. GTA 6 is the obvious candidate – GTA 5 hit a 97 on Metacritic back in 2013, and Rockstar‘s sequel carries expectations so enormous that Push Square’s Sammy Barker notes ‘anything short of perfection will be seen as a disappointment.’ September’s double-header of Phantom Blade Zero and Marvel’s Wolverine could also push close, with Insomniac‘s track record on both Marvel’s Spider-Man titles giving the latter genuine credibility as a 90+ contender. Wildcards like Metro 2039, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, and Fable – assuming the latter actually ships – round out a second half that could make 2026 one of the strongest review years in recent memory.
For now, though, the crown belongs to Playground. The PS5 launch later this year will be the next major moment to watch – both for what it does to the score’s review count and for what it signals about Microsoft‘s multiplatform ambitions going forward.
Do you think Forza Horizon 6‘s 92 is deserved, or does the GOTY conversation still feel wide open to you? And does a year-topping score from an Xbox first-party studio change how you’re thinking about Microsoft‘s platform going into the back half of 2026? Sound off in the comments below, and keep your eyes on GameLuster for more Forza Horizon 6 coverage.
AloJapan.com