Forza Horizon 6 is still on a roll. This time, we've got sales data from Japan showing that the game is the first Xbox title in three years to chart physically in the region. The last Xbox game to achieve that was its predecessor, Forza Horizon 5, back in 2023, and before that, it was Final Fantasy XV in 2016.
It's quite a testament to see anything Xbox-related perform well in Japan. It's no secret that Xbox has struggled to gain any meaningful ground in the region, so I suppose it's somewhat poetic that one of its biggest successes there is a game themed entirely around Japan.
It also makes me curious whether the BowieKnife99 meme that seemingly every brand under the sun has participated in has made its way into the Japanese community, and what players over there think about it. I imagine their reaction isn't all that different from what we feel towards the rogue car.
The data, obtained thanks to Famitsu, shows that Forza Horizon 6 sits at number 26 in the top 30 physical games chart. That's quite impressive given how small Xbox's install base is in the region, with the platform often only selling a few hundred consoles per week, and that's assuming Xbox gets lucky.
Having played the game myself, I suppose it's no wonder that it managed to chart. Forza Horizon 6 is a fantastic racing game, and its Japan setting is stunning, with some genuinely breathtaking scenery. Despite how bad I am at racing games, I'm still having a great time with it. But that's just me.
It's always a shame how much Xbox struggles in Japan. It's not through a lack of trying; they just can't ever seem to crack the market, but at least they somewhat have here with Forza.
Anyway, what do you think about Forza Horizon 6 charting in Japan? Do you care? Are you surprised, or did you expect it? Let me know in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll!
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.