Availability and timing
The update was set to be downloadable from November 2 at 6:00PM UTC on Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox app on PC and Steam. The City Life Festival Playlist follows on November 5 at 2:30PM UTC. That makes it a two-step rollout. You patch first, and the seasonal content goes live a few days later.
Playground Games hasn't published a download size or any installation requirements in the announcement. Check your storage and your Xbox app or Steam update queue before the Playlist starts.
For context, Forza Support's FAQ says the game launched on May 19, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S and for PC through the Xbox app and Steam. It also notes that cross-play and cross-save work between PC and console. A PlayStation 5 version is planned for later, and the Series 7 post says it arrives January 26.
What's new in City Life
City Life adds two permanent race routes in Tokyo City: the Edo Circuit Road Race and the Shuto Charge Street Race. The Edamame Time Attack Circuit, first released in the Series 4 Horizon Mascot Party update, also returns to the Horizon Stadium for this series.
The Playlist rewards include:
- Tower Power Badge: earned by playing during the City Life series.
- Car horns: Pedestrian Crossing Chirp, Keyboard Typing and Pedestrian Crossing Cuckoo.
- Halo Shield Recharge Car Horn: earned in Week 2 by finding 15 Gashapon Machine Collectibles at Daikoku.
- Xbox and Halo 25th anniversary items: a special livery for the 2025 GR GT Prototype, sent to all players through the Message Center. The Master Chief Outfit is unlocked through the Week 2 Photo Challenge.
Cheaper new cars
The most player-friendly change is that the Playlist points (PTS) needed to unlock new cars have dropped. Playground Games says the change follows community feedback. It is meant to make new cars easier to earn for everyone, including players without access to the game's online content. The announcement doesn't give before-and-after thresholds. It only lists the new costs for individual cars.
| Car | Cost | Window | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Honda S660 Alpha | 60 PTS (whole series) | Nov 5 – Dec 3 | RWD |
| 2025 Citroën Ami | 15 PTS (Summer) | Nov 5 – Nov 12 | FWD |
| 2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde | 15 PTS (Autumn) | Nov 12 – Nov 19 | FWD |
| 1987 Fiat Panda | 15 PTS (Winter) | Nov 19 – Nov 26 | AWD |
| 1966 Hillman Imp | 15 PTS (Spring) | Nov 26 – Dec 3 | RWD |
The Honda S660 Alpha, Citroën Ami and Fiat Panda are new to Horizon. The Giulietta and the Hillman Imp return from earlier games. The S660 and Ami also get body-kit upgrades.
Published specifications for the five cars:
- Honda S660 Alpha: 0.66-liter engine, 63 hp, class D 393.
- Citroën Ami: 8 hp, class D 100.
- Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde: 231 hp, class C 498.
- Fiat Panda: 50 hp, class D 141.
- Hillman Imp: 55 hp, class D 244.
The Ami's listing has an oddity. The write-up calls it electric, but the spec line reads "2.00 l inline 4". That is how it was published, so treat the engine line with caution until it's corrected.
Each season runs a week, so the 15 PTS cars are time-limited. If you want all four, plan your Playlist sessions around the dates above.
Car Pass owners also get four cars on Thursdays: the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD on November 5, the 2025 Volkswagen Electric Buzz on November 12, the 1983 Nissan 240RS on November 19 and the 2025 Porsche Macan GTS on November 26.
Third-party coverage describes more content than Forza.net's own five-car list. Twisted Voxel says the City Life series brings 10 unlockable Festival Playlist cars, including the Toyota Starlet Glanza V and Volkswagen Rallye Golf. Forza.net's announcement doesn't list those, so I've stuck to its five cars.
Fixes and quality-of-life changes
The preview of the release notes lists these changes:
- New restriction filter: Garage and Autoshow menus get a filter that surfaces the active Playlist's special restrictions. They appear under a "Festival Playlist" header with a toggle for each one. It should cut down on buying a car only to find it's ineligible.
- Difficulty fix: Solo Seasonal Championships on the Festival Playlist now use the difficulty the player chose.
- Sticker fix: the 1990 Nissan #12 Skyline GT-R (BNR32 Gr.A) JTC no longer blocks stickers over its windshield banner.
- Retroactive points: players who logged on but couldn't finish two challenges get credit. These are the seventh Daily Challenge in Series 6 Week 1 (Summer) and the third part of the Weekly Challenge in Series 5 Week 4 (Spring). The announcement doesn't say how many points or when they'll arrive.
Third-party summaries say the update also includes engine swaps and other vehicle fixes. Finalweapon's report, for instance, mentions new engine swaps. The full list sits in the Forza Support release notes.
The PR Stunts leaderboard wipe
This is the part with real consequences. Playground Games is completely wiping the PR Stunts leaderboards for Danger Signs, Drift Zones, Speed Zones, Trailblazers and Speed Traps. The reason given is that Series 7 patches glitches that let players post unrealistic scores.
The studio admits that this will disappoint players with legitimate scores. Records already posted to earn the matching Collection Journal items stay unlocked. So the wipe hits leaderboard standing and bragging rights, not your progression.
This wipe was telegraphed. The Forza Horizon 6 update history shows that in the July 13, 2026 notes, the team said it expected a complete wipe of PR Stunts leaderboards once the fixes had rolled out. The same notes reset the Rivals leaderboards after exploits and Drag Tire abuse. The pattern is the same each time: patch the exploit first, then clear the board.
There are two sides to this. A wipe is blunt, and honest players lose their records along with the cheaters. But the alternative is manually vetting thousands of entries, and a leaderboard full of impossible times doesn't help anyone. Wiping only after the glitches are patched makes the clean slate worth something.
The IKEA Prop Pack
Playground Games says the pack celebrates an Xbox and IKEA gaming-inspired collection. It gives Custom Garage builders 35 furniture props. The list includes:
- YXSTABY items such as controller display boxes, a D-Pad platter and cushion, a lounge chair and thumb-stick stools.
- VARMBLIXT lamps in several colors.
- KALLAX, BILLY, BROR and LACK furniture.
- SANELA cushions.
- A FRAKTA carrier bag and an IKEA PS 2026 Uplighter.
The post's own list contains apparent typos, such as "YXTABY" for one TV stand and "VARMBIXT" for one lamp. Look for the exact in-game names when you build. Playground Games invites players to share their garages for a possible Forza Community Creations Spotlight feature, though it promises nothing.
What to do before November 5
- Update the game on Xbox, the Xbox app or Steam.
- Expect your PR Stunts leaderboard entries to be gone. Your Collection Journal unlocks remain.
- Check the new Garage and Autoshow restriction filter before spending credits on Playlist-specific cars.
- Plan Week 2 for the Daikoku Gashapon hunt and the Master Chief photo challenge.
- Report anything the patch misses through the Forza Feedback Portal, with as much detail as you can.
On balance, City Life is an update where the practical changes matter more than the headline content. Cheaper unlocks and the restriction filter will help players on every platform. The leaderboard reset is a one-time cost for a fairer board.