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The Forza series has released 14 mainline games through Forza Horizon 6, which launched on May 19, 2026. The franchise is split into two core branches: Forza Motorsport, focused on closed-circuit simulation racing, and Forza Horizon, built around open-world festival driving.
Here is every mainline Forza game in release order, followed by the separate spin-offs and the platform distinctions that can make the timeline confusing.
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Every mainline Forza game in release order
| # | Game | First release | Original platform(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forza Motorsport | May 3, 2005 (North America); May 13, 2005 (Europe) | Xbox |
| 2 | Forza Motorsport 2 | May 29, 2007 (North America); June 8, 2007 (Europe) | Xbox 360 |
| 3 | Forza Motorsport 3 | October 27, 2009 | Xbox 360 |
| 4 | Forza Motorsport 4 | October 11, 2011 (North America); October 14, 2011 (Europe) | Xbox 360 |
| 5 | Forza Horizon | October 23, 2012 (North America/Australia); October 26, 2012 (Europe) | Xbox 360 |
| 6 | Forza Motorsport 5 | November 22, 2013 | Xbox One |
| 7 | Forza Horizon 2 | September 30, 2014 (North America); October 2, 2014 (Australia); October 3, 2014 (Europe) | Xbox One, Xbox 360 |
| 8 | Forza Motorsport 6 | September 15, 2015 (North America/Australia); September 18, 2015 (Europe) | Xbox One |
| 9 | Forza Horizon 3 | September 27, 2016 | Xbox One, Windows |
| 10 | Forza Motorsport 7 | October 3, 2017 | Xbox One, Windows |
| 11 | Forza Horizon 4 | October 2, 2018 | Xbox One, Windows |
| 12 | Forza Horizon 5 | November 9, 2021 | Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows |
| 13 | Forza Motorsport | October 10, 2023 | Xbox Series X|S, Windows |
| 14 | Forza Horizon 6 | May 19, 2026 | Xbox Series X|S, Windows via Microsoft Store and Steam |
The release dates above use each game’s first public launch. Where regional dates differed, the earliest listed North American date is shown first. The original 2005 game and the 2023 game both use the official title Forza Motorsport.
1. Forza Motorsport — 2005
The series began with Forza Motorsport on the original Xbox. It established Forza’s closed-circuit racing identity and is sometimes called “Forza Motorsport 1” by fans, although “1” was not part of its published title.
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- DRIVE 550+ REAL‑WORLD CARS — Collect and customize over 550 licensed vehicles with body kits, Forza Aero, window liveries, and enhanced steering animations.
- BUILD YOUR ESTATE — Purchase beautiful homes across Japan and customize garages to showcase your growing car collection as you rise through the Horizon Festival.
- JOIN THE HORIZON COMMUNITY — Race, cruise, and compete with friends in Time Attack Circuits, Drag Meets, Car Meets, and Horizon multiplayer modes, including Spec Racing Championships.
Its first release was May 3, 2005, in North America, followed by May 13 in Europe.
2. Forza Motorsport 2 — 2007
Forza Motorsport 2 moved the series to Xbox 360. It launched on May 29, 2007, in North America and June 8 in Europe.
3. Forza Motorsport 3 — 2009
Forza Motorsport 3 arrived on Xbox 360 on October 27, 2009. The game continued the numbered circuit-racing line before the franchise expanded into a second major branch.
4. Forza Motorsport 4 — 2011
Forza Motorsport 4 launched for Xbox 360 on October 11, 2011, in North America and October 14 in Europe. It was the final numbered Motorsport release before the Horizon sub-series debuted.
5. Forza Horizon — 2012
Forza Horizon launched for Xbox 360 on October 23, 2012, in North America and Australia, followed by October 26 in Europe. Unlike Motorsport, Horizon uses an open-world festival setting rather than a traditional circuit-racing campaign.
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- PREMIUM EDITION — Includes the full game, VIP Membership, Welcome Pack, Time Attack Car Pack, Car Pass, Italian Passion Car Pack, and two Premium Expansions (coming post launch).
- DISCOVER JAPAN — Explore Horizon’s largest map ever, set in Japan and packed with dramatic verticality, diverse biomes, and spectacular open‑road driving routes.
- CRUISE ICONIC LOCATIONS — Drive through Tokyo’s city streets, suburbs, docks, and industrial districts in the most expansive urban environment in Horizon history.
- DRIVE 550+ REAL‑WORLD CARS — Collect and customize over 550 licensed vehicles with body kits, Forza Aero, window liveries, and enhanced steering animations.
- BUILD YOUR ESTATE — Purchase beautiful homes across Japan and customize garages to showcase your growing car collection as you rise through the Horizon Festival.
6. Forza Motorsport 5 — 2013
Forza Motorsport 5 launched on November 22, 2013, alongside the Xbox One. It retained the Motorsport branch’s focus on paved circuits, structured events and simulation-oriented driving.
7. Forza Horizon 2 — 2014
Forza Horizon 2 first released on September 30, 2014, in North America. The Australian release followed on October 2 and the European release on October 3.
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8. Forza Motorsport 6 — 2015
Forza Motorsport 6 launched for Xbox One on September 15, 2015, in North America and Australia, followed by September 18 in Europe.
The console game was later removed from sale on September 15, 2019, after licensing agreements for cars and tracks expired. That delisting does not alter its original release date.
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- Seasons change everything. For the first time in the racing and driving genre, experience dynamic seasons in a shared open-world. Explore beautiful scenery, collect over 450 cars, and become a Horizon Superstar in historic Britain. (Some cars provided by online update.
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- New content every week. Every week, a new season change brings new themed content, gameplay, challenges, and rewards.
- Go it alone or team up. Play solo or cooperatively. Join team multiplayer for casual fun or ranked teams to take on the best in the world. Xbox live gold (sold separately) required for online multiplayer on Xbox consoles.
9. Forza Horizon 3 — 2016
Forza Horizon 3 released on September 27, 2016, for Xbox One and Windows. It continued the open-world branch and was the first Horizon game in the list to launch on Windows at the same time as Xbox.
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Forza Motorsport 7 launched on October 3, 2017, for Xbox One and Windows. It was the last numbered Motorsport game before the series returned in 2023 under an unnumbered title.
11. Forza Horizon 4 — 2018
Forza Horizon 4 launched on October 2, 2018, for Xbox One and Windows. An Xbox Series X|S version followed on November 10, 2020, but that is a later platform release, not the game’s original launch date.
12. Forza Horizon 5 — 2021
Forza Horizon 5 launched on November 9, 2021, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows. Its PlayStation 5 version arrived later, on April 29, 2025, with Premium Edition early access beginning April 25.
For release-order purposes, the 2021 Xbox and Windows launch remains the game’s original release.
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- Immerse yourself in over 500 real cars across 20 world-famous environments, including fan favorite locations and multiple track layouts, each featuring fully dynamic time-of-day with weather and unique driving conditions.
- Out-build the competition using more than 800 performance upgrades in the all-new, fun, and rewarding single-player experience, the Builders Cup Career Mode.
- Race alongside your friends in adjudicated multiplayer events with tire and fuel strategy, a race weekend– inspired structure, and new driver and safety ratings.
- Compete with cutting-edge AI opponents, advanced physics, powerful assists, new damage and dirt accumulation systems, and photorealistic visuals with real-time ray tracing on-track.
13. Forza Motorsport — 2023
The modern Forza Motorsport launched on October 10, 2023, for Xbox Series X|S and Windows. Premium Edition early access began on October 5.
Although it is internally the eighth Motorsport game, it is not officially called Forza Motorsport 8. Microsoft and Turn 10 released it under the unnumbered title Forza Motorsport, and it functions as a reboot of the sub-series’ presentation and structure.
14. Forza Horizon 6 — 2026
Forza Horizon 6 launched on May 19, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S and Windows through the Microsoft Store and Steam. Premium Edition early access began on May 15.
The official announcement is available at Forza.net. A PlayStation 5 version was announced for later in 2026, but the cited announcement does not provide a confirmed PS5 release date.
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Forza games and releases outside the mainline list
These releases belong to the broader Forza franchise but are not numbered mainline entries in the Motorsport or Horizon series.
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- FORZA HORIZON 6 LIMITED EDITION — Explore breathtaking Japan with the XBOX Wireless Controller – Forza Horizon 6 Limited Edition. Inspired by the winding Touge roads of Japan, this controller blends high-performance style with festival flair.
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- RACING-READY GRIP — Lock into the open-world driving action with black and pink diamond-patterned grips and textured triggers built for every moment on the road.
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| Release | Date | What it was | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forza Motorsport 6: Apex | September 6, 2016 | A free-to-play, reduced Windows version based on Forza Motorsport 6 | Separate PC release; not a numbered sequel |
| Forza Street | 2019–2022 | Free-to-play spin-off, originally released under another name before being rebranded | Discontinued |
| Forza Customs | 2023–2025 | Free-to-play car-customization puzzle game | Discontinued |
Motorsport vs. Horizon: which order should you follow?
There is no single story campaign connecting every Forza game, so most players should choose an order based on the type of racing they want:
- For circuit racing: start with the 2005 Forza Motorsport, then follow the Motorsport entries through Forza Motorsport 7 and the 2023 reboot.
- For open-world driving: start with Forza Horizon and continue through Horizon 6.
- For the complete franchise history: use the chronological table above, including both branches in the order they first released.
The two branches share cars, driving technology and the Forza identity, but they are separate series with separate numbering. A new player does not need to play one branch before starting the other.
Common release-order mix-ups
Is the 2023 game Forza Motorsport 8?
No. It is officially titled Forza Motorsport. “Forza Motorsport 8” is an informal label used to distinguish it from the 2005 game, not the published name.
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It is a separate Windows release based on the Xbox One game, released on September 6, 2016. The Xbox One version launched on September 15, 2015. Treating Apex as a separate release avoids mixing its PC date with the console game’s original date.
Why is Forza Horizon 4’s Xbox Series date not 2018?
The game originally launched on Xbox One and Windows on October 2, 2018. Its Xbox Series X|S version arrived on November 10, 2020. Release lists should use October 2, 2018, unless they are specifically cataloging platform versions.
Does Forza Horizon 5’s PS5 release change its place in the list?
No. The PS5 version launched on April 29, 2025, several years after the original Xbox and Windows release on November 9, 2021. The game therefore remains the twelfth mainline entry by first release date.
Quick Recap
Quick chronological list
- Forza Motorsport — 2005
- Forza Motorsport 2 — 2007
- Forza Motorsport 3 — 2009
- Forza Motorsport 4 — 2011
- Forza Horizon — 2012
- Forza Motorsport 5 — 2013
- Forza Horizon 2 — 2014
- Forza Motorsport 6 — 2015
- Forza Horizon 3 — 2016
- Forza Motorsport 7 — 2017
- Forza Horizon 4 — 2018
- Forza Horizon 5 — 2021
- Forza Motorsport — 2023
- Forza Horizon 6 — 2026
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