Forza Horizon 6 just released on Wednesday, and Playground Games’ flagship Xbox racing series is already pulling in some seriously impressive player numbers. Among those players is Baldur’s Gate 3 publishing director Michael Douse, who had some especially high praise for the game.
“Forza Horizon 6 slaps,” Douse said in an X post. “A perfect game. A perfect gameplay loop. Consistently joyous, energetic, and infectiously upbeat. It is like a familiar friend that both wants you to have a good time and knows how to show you one. A truly rare gem in a struggling industry.”
Douse was also impressed with the game’s music selection, with one track in particular catching his ear.
“Idk who is in charge of the Horizon Opus playlist,” Douse added, “but mans is really locked in. Clark & Max Richter but specifically November with Mari Samuelsen is an insane neoclassical get.”
It is hard not to agree with Douse on pretty much all fronts. In a gaming landscape where microtransactions are often pushed aggressively, games frequently arrive in buggy or unfinished states, and sequels can sometimes feel like thinly disguised cash grabs, Forza Horizon remains something refreshingly different.
The series has become the paradigm of gaming comfort food: welcoming, polished, rewarding, and almost relentlessly fun. Nearly everything you do in Forza Horizon 6 gives you something in return, whether you are competing in races, exploring the open world, unlocking new cars, or simply cruising through its breathtaking recreation of Japan.
Want to drive around in different cars, listen to music, and take in the scenery? You can. Want to tune up your favorite ride and go street racing? That is there, too. Prefer off-roading, cross-country events, or even making fast food deliveries to locals in a delivery truck? Forza Horizon 6 makes room for all of it.
That variety is a big part of why the game works so well. Forza Horizon 6 does not demand that players engage with it in one specific way. Instead, it gives them a beautiful open world, a garage full of possibilities, and a constant stream of rewards for simply playing around.
That makes it one of the easiest games to pick up at any time, whether you have ten minutes to cruise or several hours to lose yourself in its races, events, and scenery. In that sense, Douse may be right: Forza Horizon 6 is not just another strong entry in the series. It might be one of the rare modern games that simply understands how to make players feel good.
What do you think of the fact that Michael Douse considers Forza Horizon 6 a perfect game?
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