Playground Games Responds To Forza Horizon 6 Leak: Here’s What Happens If You Played Early

Forza Horizon 6 has found itself in the middle of a major leak controversy just days before its official launch. Earlier this week, a playable PC build of the highly anticipated racing game surfaced online across piracy forums, allowing some users to access the game ahead of release. Now, developer Playground Games has officially responded to the situation and warned that strict action is already being taken against players using the leaked version. The studio confirmed that penalties include franchise-wide bans and even hardware-level bans for affected users.Playground Games Responds To The LeakAfter reports started circulating online, many initially believed the leak happened because of Steam pre-load files being left unencrypted. However,

Playground Games has now denied those claims.“We are aware of reports that a build of Forza Horizon 6 has been obtained prior to its release and can confirm this is not the result of a pre-load issue,” the studio said in a statement shared on X.The developer further added, “We are taking strict enforcement action against any individuals found accessing this build including franchise-wide and hardware bans. We encourage fans to sit tight for the game's release on May 19.”Soon after the leak spread online, several users reportedly received bans after attempting to connect online using the cracked build.Some Players Reportedly Banned Until Year 9999Screenshots shared across social media platforms appeared to show ban notices issued by the Forza Community Team. Interestingly, some of those bans reportedly extend until the year 9999, which effectively means permanent bans from the franchise.The leaked build reportedly included around 155GB worth of game files and quickly began circulating online over the weekend. Gameplay clips, screenshots and installation guides also started appearing across forums shortly after.SteamDB Clarifies The SituationFollowing speculation around Steam’s role in the leak, SteamDB also issued a clarification. According to SteamDB, the game files were “very likely leaked by someone with early access to the build,” such as a reviewer or another individual with privileged access.“Forza Horizon 6 was very likely leaked by someone with early access to the build (reviewer or similar),” SteamDB said while resharing Playground Games’ statement on X.The platform also clarified that it does not provide game downloads or activation keys. Meanwhile, Playground Games has not officially disclosed the exact source behind the leak.Despite the controversy, Forza Horizon 6 is still scheduled to officially launch on May 19 for PC and Xbox Series X/S. Players who purchased the Premium Edition will gain early access starting May 15.