Forza Horizon 6 becomes 2026’s highest rated game on Metacritic so far

Forza Horizon 6 is off to a huge start, with Metacritic currently listing it as the highest rated new video game of 2026 so far. The latest entry from Playground Games has reached a 92 score, putting Xbox at the top of the year’s multiplatform rankings.

That is a strong result for Microsoft, especially at a time when Xbox is trying to rebuild confidence around its first party lineup. Forza Horizon 6 was expected to review well, but topping the 2026 chart gives Xbox one of its clearest critical wins of the year.

The ranking comes with one small technical detail. Metacritic’s overall yearly list uses the platform version with the most reviews. That is why Forza Horizon 6 leads the main 2026 list with a 92, even though some games have higher scores on specific platforms.

For example, Resident Evil Requiem has a 93 score on Xbox, which would place it above Forza Horizon 6 on the Xbox only list. But its PS5 version has more reviews and sits at 89, so that is the score counted for the multiplatform yearly chart.

The Xbox specific list looks different. Hades 2 leads there with a 95, while Resident Evil Requiem sits at 93 and Forza Horizon 6 follows at 92. Mixtape also has a 92 average on Xbox, but its wider platform score is lower because the PS5 version has more reviews.

The main takeaway is still simple. Forza Horizon 6 has landed extremely well with critics and has given Xbox a real Game of the Year contender. It may face strong competition later, especially with GTA 6 still ahead, but Playground Games has already delivered one of the most praised releases of 2026.

The result also matters beyond awards talk. Xbox has several major first party games in the pipeline, including Halo, Fable, and Gears. A strong Forza Horizon 6 launch gives Microsoft momentum and shows that its internal studios can still produce top tier releases.

Forza Horizon has always been one of Xbox’s most reliable franchises, but this score shows that the series has not lost its pull. Even after multiple entries, critics still see it as one of the best open world racing experiences available.

For Xbox fans, this is the kind of win the platform needed. Forza Horizon 6 is not just another strong Game Pass launch. It is currently the highest rated new game of the year on Metacritic’s main 2026 list, and that gives Xbox a rare moment at the very top.