2026-05-12 14:00:56

Playground Games has issued an extreme ban to a player accused of leaking early gameplay footage from Forza Horizon 6 ahead of its official launch.

The Microsoft-owned studio confirmed it is taking “strict enforcement action” after a playable build of the upcoming racer appeared online days before release. According to reports, one individual who uploaded gameplay videos received a hardware ban lasting until December 31, 9999, effectively a lifetime suspension.

Playground said in a statement: “We are aware of reports that a build of Forza Horizon 6 has been obtained prior to its release. We are taking strict enforcement action against any individuals found accessing this build including franchise-wide and hardware bans.”

The leak surfaced after around 155GB of game files appeared on Steam databases before the game’s early access launch. Initial speculation suggested a pre-load error may have exposed the files, although Playground denied this was the cause.

Soon after, pirated copies began circulating online, with gameplay clips spreading rapidly across YouTube and social media platforms. One uploader reportedly shared footage alongside their visible Xbox gamertag, making identification straightforward for enforcement teams.

Despite the ban, the individual later uploaded additional footage using a different account and claimed they were unconcerned about the punishment.

Meanwhile, SteamDB distanced itself from the incident, suggesting the leak likely originated from someone with legitimate early access, such as a reviewer or another industry contact.

The situation highlights the growing challenge publishers face preventing leaks in the digital era, particularly for high-profile titles with massive pre-release demand.

Published by Xbox Game Studios, Forza Horizon 6 is currently one of the most anticipated releases on PC and Xbox, with strong wishlist and preorder numbers already recorded ahead of launch. The game is also set to launch day-one on Xbox Game Pass.

Early access for Forza Horizon 6 begins on May 15, ahead of its full launch on May 19. Microsoft has not indicated whether the leak will impact those release plans.

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