Driving sims were once all the rage will Forza Horizon 6 get them back on track?

Forza Horizon 6 places players in authentic-looking real-world locations, including a Japan setting, with open-world driving, racing against other cars, and scenic exploration. Driving games were a major console genre from the 1990s to early 2000s, with popular titles spanning arcade racers, rally games, destruction-focused racing, and realistic simulators. Later, mainstream attention shifted toward open-world fantasy adventures, first-person shooters, and live-service games, reducing the presence of big-budget racing titles. Some racing franchises remain through annual F1 and MotoGP releases and dedicated simulation communities. Driving games remain rare because their best experiences are aspirational and relatable, since many players have driven real cars before.

"I have spent the last week careening around Japan in a Porsche 911, seeing the sights, racing other cars and occasionally veering off the road to plummet through an ancient bamboo forest. You all know what's coming next this wasn't in real life, folks it was in Forza Horizon 6, the latest instalment in Microsoft's series of open world driving games set in authentic-looking, real-world locations."

"It's easy to forget, but this was the biggest genre in town from the 1990s to the early 2000s. Consoles were sold on how good their racing games were: the original PlayStation had Ridge Racer, the Sega Saturn had Daytona USA. Later came the dirt-track thrills of Colin McRae Rally, the chaotic destruction of Burnout, the sophisticated realism of Gran Turismo. They were the bestsellers of the era, showcasing the future of real-time 3D visuals."

"But then came time-sucking open-world fantasy adventures, mega-hit first-person shooters and the live-service behemoths Fortnite and Minecraft. The mainstream drifted away. Mario Kart hung about, of course, and there are still annual F1 and MotoGP titles, as well as hardcore sims such as Assetto Corsa Competizione and iRacing. But big-budget blockbuster racers have largely driven off into the, well, horizon."

"Driving sims are rare because they are, at their best, aspirational and relatable. Most adults who play games have driven a real car, so the experience is familiar this is why from the late 1960s on, driving games were a staple feature of amusement arcades. At first that meant electromechanical oddities such as Kasco's 1968 classic Indy 500, w"

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