Start with Horizon Festival Events. They teach you the car classes, race types, and map layout at your own pace, and every event you complete feeds straight into your Wristband progression. Once you have a feel for the physics, branch into Spec Racing for fair PvP, or The Eliminator if you want something chaotic.
This guide covers the game modes available at launch (May 19, 2026) on Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Store and Steam), and Xbox Game Pass. A PlayStation 5 version is coming later in 2026.
Quick Summary
- Horizon Festival Events (Solo): The best starting point. Complete Road, Dirt, and Cross Country races to earn Horizon Festival Points toward your Wristbands and unlock higher-tier events.
- Spec Racing (PvP): Move here once you can handle corners without Rewind. All players use the same car and tune, so races come down to driving skill alone.
- The Eliminator (PvP): A 72-player battle royale. Low-pressure because you can avoid fights, upgrade through Car Drops, and learn the map without constant racing.
- Skip for now: Touge Showdown, Horizon Drift, and Hide & Seek reward precision and map knowledge you won't have yet.
Before You Start: Settings That Matter
Your assist and difficulty settings affect both how the car handles and how many Credits you earn. Set these before your first race:
| Setting | Recommended for Beginners | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Drivatar Difficulty | Average or Above Average | Gives a real contest without punishing mistakes. Raise it when you start winning by large margins. |
| Driving Line | Full | Shows braking zones in red, safe corners in blue. Turn it off once you learn the tracks. |
| Rewind | On | Reverses time after a crash or missed checkpoint. No Credit penalty for using it. |
| Transmission | Automatic | Switching to Manual later adds a Credit bonus per race, but focus on steering and braking first. |
| Traction Control | On | Prevents wheelspin on acceleration. Disable it after you learn throttle control for an additional Credit bonus. |
| Stability Control | On | Keeps the car from oversteering. Disabling adds another Credit bonus, but beginners will spin without it. |
Mode 1: Horizon Festival Events (Start Here)
Horizon Festival Events form the solo campaign. You race against AI Drivatars across three official disciplines: Road, Dirt, and Cross Country, alongside other festival activities like Time Attack Circuits, Drag Meets, PR Stunts, and Bonus Boards. Each completed activity earns Horizon Festival Points, which feed into your Wristband progression and unlock new event tiers and car class restrictions.
How Progression Works
- Complete the Horizon Qualifiers. These opening races introduce you to each race type and hand you a starter car.
- Finish the Horizon Invitational. This earns your first Wristband, opening the main Festival event map.
- Race across disciplines. Mix Road, Dirt, and Cross Country events. Accumulating enough Festival Points unlocks a Wristband Event — either a classic Showcase or a new Horizon Rush obstacle challenge.
- Earn higher Wristbands. There are seven Wristband tiers in total. Each unlocks faster car classes and new content, culminating in the Gold Wristband, which unlocks Legend Island and the late-game races.
Why Beginners Should Start Here
Festival Events let you race at your own speed. Rewind erases crashes. The driving line shows braking points. ANNA (your in-game navigation assistant) highlights which events count toward your next Wristband, so you never waste time guessing where to go. You also build a garage of cars through rewards, Wheelspins, and Barn Finds scattered across the map.
Spend time exploring between races. The map uses a fog-of-war system that reveals terrain as you drive through it, and a Collection Journal tracks the Stamps you earn from photographing points of interest. Exploring uncovers XP boards, fast-travel locations, and Barn Finds that add free cars to your collection.
Beginner Festival Tips
- Upgrade your starter car's engine and handling in the Upgrades menu before harder events. A few cheap parts close the gap against faster Drivatars.
- Check the map filter if the event icons feel overwhelming — Horizon Festival activities are marked with an "H" icon, and those are the ones that count toward your next Wristband.
- Raise your Drivatar difficulty when the game suggests it. Higher difficulty pays more Credits per race.
- Try all three race types (Road, Dirt, Cross Country) early. Each handles differently, and you need a spread of completions to progress.
Mode 2: Spec Racing (Your First PvP Mode)
Spec Racing puts you in online PvP lobbies, but removes the gear advantage. All players drive the same car with the same tune. Only cosmetic changes (paint, livery) differ. If you lose, it's because the other driver took a better line or braked later.
Why Spec Racing Works for Newer Players
Online racing in Horizon games can feel unfair when experienced players bring maxed-out cars. Spec Racing removes that problem. You don't need a tuned garage or deep knowledge of car upgrades. You need clean racing lines and consistent braking.
When to Try It
Move into Spec Racing after you can complete Festival Road races on Above Average difficulty without using Rewind more than once or twice per race. That tells you your braking and cornering are consistent enough to hold your own against real opponents.
Mode 3: The Eliminator (Low-Pressure Battle Royale)
The Eliminator drops up to 72 players onto the map. Everyone starts in the same vehicle — a 1984 Honda City — and upgrades by finding Car Drops scattered around the map or by winning 1v1 head-to-head sprints against other players. The play area shrinks over time, and when only a handful of drivers remain, the Final Showdown begins: a flat-out race to a single finish point.
Why Beginners Can Enjoy This Early
The Eliminator rewards map knowledge and smart positioning over raw speed. You can avoid fights until the final circle, focus on picking up Car Drops, and learn the geography of Japan's countryside, forests, and mountain passes. Each round takes a few minutes, so losses don't sting.
Eliminator Survival Tips
- Upgrade from your starter Honda City before picking any fights. A single Car Drop can put you several levels higher.
- See what car an opponent is driving before honking to challenge them. Challenging a faster car in a slower one is a losing bet.
- Off-road-capable cars with good handling outperform fast road cars on the mixed terrain you'll cross during sprints — Japan's map is full of mud, grass, and gravel.
- Watch the arena boundary. Getting caught outside eliminates you faster than any opponent.
- The Final Showdown rewards map knowledge — off-road paths, field shortcuts, and gaps in fences can beat straight-line speed.
Modes to Save for Later
These modes are in the game at launch, but each demands skills or map knowledge that take time to build.
| Mode | What It Is | Why Wait |
|---|---|---|
| Touge Showdown | 1v1 mountain pass races on tight, winding roads inspired by real Japanese touge locations like Mt. Haruna and Bandai Azuma. | Demands precise car control on narrow hairpins with no room for error. A single missed apex ends your run. |
| Horizon Drift | Free-for-all drift scoring mode. RWD cars perform best; you'll need to disable Traction Control and Stability Control. | Drifting requires you to turn off the assists that keep beginners on the road. Learn throttle control and counter-steering in free roam first. |
| Hide & Seek | Asymmetric chase mode: one Hider tries to reach the End Zone — or survive until time runs out — while up to five Seekers track them using a Radar and Ping ability. | Hiders need deep map knowledge (shortcuts, alleys, off-road paths). Seekers need coordinated communication. Both require comfort with the car at speed. |
Shared World Activities: No Pressure, No Matchmaking
Outside of structured modes, the open world contains drop-in social activities with no loading screens or lobbies:
- Car Meets: Park at a designated spot, inspect other players' cars, download tunes and liveries, and buy stock versions of cars you see. No racing, no competition.
- Drag Meets: Line up with other players at drag strips with synchronized start lights. In-world leaderboards let you track improvement over time.
- Time Attack Circuits: Drive onto grassroots circuits in the open world to set lap times. In-world leaderboards show where you rank.
These activities give you exposure to other players and cars without any stakes. Use Car Meets to find tunes from experienced players, and Drag Meets to practice launch control and gear timing.
Recommended Progression Path
- Hours 1–5: Complete the Horizon Qualifiers and Invitational. Earn your first Wristband. Try all three race disciplines. Explore the map and find a few Barn Finds.
- Hours 5–15: Work through Festival Events. Upgrade your favorite car. Raise Drivatar difficulty when prompted. Drop into a few Eliminator rounds between races.
- Hours 15–25: Enter Spec Racing for structured PvP. Visit Car Meets and Drag Meets. Start disabling assists one at a time (Manual transmission first, then Traction Control).
- Hours 25+: Try Touge Showdown once you can handle mountain roads without Rewind. Experiment with drift builds for Horizon Drift. Join Hide & Seek sessions with friends. Push toward the Gold Wristband to unlock Legend Island and its late-game races.
FAQ
Can I play all modes from the start?
Most modes are accessible early, but you must complete the Horizon Qualifiers and Horizon Invitational to receive your first Wristband and unlock the full Horizon Play menu. This takes roughly 30–60 minutes.
Do I earn Credits in every mode?
Yes. Festival Events, Spec Racing, The Eliminator, and other Horizon Play modes all pay Credits. Your total payout scales with your Drivatar difficulty setting and which assists you have disabled. Keep Rewind on; it has no Credit penalty.
Which car should I start with?
Use the car the game gives you during the Qualifiers. Spend your first Credits on engine and handling upgrades for that car rather than buying a new one. You'll earn additional cars through Wheelspins, Barn Finds, and Wristband rewards.
Is Forza Horizon 6 on PlayStation?
A PlayStation 5 version is confirmed for later in 2026. At launch, the game is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Store and Steam), and Xbox Game Pass.
What if I keep losing in online modes?
Return to Festival Events and raise the Drivatar difficulty until races feel competitive. Above Average and Highly Skilled Drivatars teach you racing lines and braking points better than easy AI opponents. Once you can win on Highly Skilled, online lobbies will feel more manageable.