Forza Horizon 6 Patch Notes: New Update Delivers Gameplay, Graphics, and Progression
Just over a month after launch, Playground Games has released another update for Forza Horizon 6, bringing a mix of bug fixes, gameplay adjustments, progression improvements, and visual enhancements across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Steam.
Since launching in May, Forza Horizon 6 has received several post-launch updates focused on stability, progression, and competitive balance. The latest Series 2 patch continues that effort by addressing community-reported issues while also making major adjustments to Horizon Play progression and Drag Tire tuning.
The June 15 update is headlined by AI improvements, a significant Horizon Play XP rebalance, and changes to Drag Tires that could affect competitive racing and leaderboard standings.
Gameplay Changes
One of the biggest gameplay updates targets Drag Tires. According to the developers, Drag Tires were providing too much cornering grip while also lowering a vehicle's Performance Index (PI), making them a popular choice outside of drag racing.
The change could have a noticeable impact on competitive racing and leaderboard times, as many players had been using Drag Tires to gain a handling advantage in road and circuit events despite the upgrade being intended primarily for straight-line racing.
Key gameplay changes include:
- Adjusted Drag Tire physics to reduce cornering performance
- Drag Tires are no longer intended to be the optimal choice outside of drag racing
- Existing tunes will retain their current PI rating
- Older leaderboard times set using Drag Tire builds will be reviewed and removed
- Improved AI difficulty balancing
- Fixed Drivatar race start behavior
Horizon Play Progression Improvements
Players working toward Horizon Play rewards should notice a significant change after the update.
Changes include:
- Reduced XP requirements between Levels 26 and 100
- Fixed an issue preventing some players from unlocking Level 12 correctly
- Faster progression toward the "Maxed Out" Achievement
Players above Level 25 may see an immediate level increase, while those already at Level 32 or higher will automatically jump to Level 100 and unlock associated rewards and badges.
We're rolling out the #ForzaHorizon6 Series 2 update on all platforms, which includes Drivatar difficulty balancing improvements, fixes for the Festival Playlist and XP adjustments for Levels 26-100 in Horizon Play.
— Forza Support (@forza_support) June 15, 2026
Here are the full release notes: https://t.co/yFCbMkbATxpic.twitter.com/pqouJvmwKr
Graphics and Visual Fixes
The update also addresses several visual issues reported by the community.
- Fixed loading screen corruption on Xbox Series X|S
- Corrected lighting inconsistencies in Photo Mode
- Restored missing rain particle effects on PC's High graphics preset
- Fixed visual artifacts appearing through metal fences
- Improved red smoke effects in Street Races when using upscaling
Beyond the headline changes, the update also introduces Road Discovery improvements, including a new Roads Driven percentage tracker and fixes for previously undiscoverable road segments.
Playground Games also addressed leaderboard display issues, improved audio performance on lower-spec devices, and resolved several Festival Playlist bugs that prevented some Daily and Weekly Challenges from tracking correctly.
Players who participated in Series 1 will also receive retroactive Daily Challenge points for eligible Seasons by visiting their Playlist History.
With progression improvements, gameplay balancing, and visual fixes, the update continues Playground Games' post-launch support efforts for Forza Horizon 6.
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 1:48 PM.