Forza Horizon 6 leaked days ahead of launch, unencrypted 155GB build accidentally hits Steam

Playground Games' next big adventure, Forza Horizon 6, is all set to debut later this week, but the game has reportedly been leaked and is seemingly even being played by pirates. The news of the leak came via various social media forums, which noted that the popular open-world game had already been leaked days ahead of its launch.

The leak is being attributed to a developer accidentally uploading around 155GB of unencrypted files of Forza Horizon 6 to Steam servers.

While developers do sometimes let eager users download their upcoming games on Steam, these files are usually encrypted and remain inaccessible until launch day. But reports suggest that the Steam preload of Horizon 6 was left without encryption and, as a result, pirates are able to freely access the game.

However, downloading the game via unverified sources does carry the risk of users unintentionally installing malware, keyloggers, or other harmful software disguised as leaked game files. Moreover, playing pirated versions of the game also carries the risk of Xbox accounts getting banned, especially if users try to connect to online servers.

Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios are yet to authenticate the leak, and it's not clear if the leak will lead to the popular game being released earlier than scheduled.

The game will be available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Game Pass Ultimate from day one. Meanwhile, the PlayStation version of the game is expected to arrive later in the year.

As players progress through the game, they gain access to better cars, tougher races, and new parts of the festival. Playground Games has also introduced a new feature called The Journal, inspired by Japan’s stamp-collecting culture. The feature allows players to collect digital mementoes of murals, landmarks, and locations discovered while exploring the country.

Apart from racing, Horizon 6 introduces a new housing system called The Estate, inspired by the Japanese concept of ‘Akiya’ or abandoned homes. Players will be able to acquire and customise large properties, ranging from mountain retreats to personalised race tracks built using in-game credits.

The game is also adding Car Meets inspired by Japan’s iconic Daikoku parking area, allowing players to gather, showcase their vehicles, and download custom liveries at dedicated social hubs across the map.