Forza Horizon 6 Premium Edition: Price, Value, and DLC Breakdown

The latest entry in Playground Games’ open-world racer arrives with familiar festival energy and a less familiar price tag. Forza Horizon 6 launches with multiple editions, and the top tier Premium Edition is priced at around $119.99 / £110, making it one of the most expensive mainstream racing game bundles at launch. Even at that price, it still doesn’t include every piece of downloadable content that will eventually be sold.

This guide unpacks what you actually get at each price tier, why the Premium Edition costs more than the previous game’s equivalent, and how the DLC strategy fits into broader industry trends around game monetization. If you’re trying to decide which version to buy – or whether to wait – this deep dive is for you.

The Three Editions of Forza Horizon 6

Forza Horizon 6 follows the same broad template as recent big-budget releases: a base game, a mid-tier bundle, and a high-end package with early access and a pile of extras.

Standard, Deluxe, Premium: What Each One Includes

The broad strokes mirror Forza Horizon 5’s release, but the prices have crept up, particularly at the top tier. The Premium Edition for FH6 is more expensive than its predecessor while still leaving room for additional paid content later.

Why Forza Horizon 6 Is More Expensive This Time

The move to a $70 standard price for many current-gen games has become widely adopted across the industry, including by Microsoft for its first-party titles.¹ That price hike naturally pushes the higher tiers up too. When you stack early access, expansions, VIP features and bundled car packs on top of that new baseline, you arrive at a Premium price that looks closer to a full-priced console than a single game to many players.

Rising Baseline: The $70 Standard Game

Microsoft announced in late 2022 that first-party games built for current Xbox hardware – including titles like Forza Motorsport – would launch at $69.99 in the US.¹ That decision aligns with similar moves by other publishers and sits against a backdrop of rising development costs for AAA games.

When FH5 launched, the standard edition was typically cheaper in many regions. Now, with FH6 starting at the higher baseline, the Deluxe and Premium tiers move from the psychological $99 barrier into more uncomfortable territory above $100.

Premium Edition vs Previous Entries

The FH6 Premium Edition costs more than FH5’s equivalent while offering a similar structure: early access, VIP, expansions, car pass, and extra packs. The difference is not that you’re getting radically more content up front but that:

• The starting price of the Standard Edition has increased.
• There are still unannounced or unbundled DLC items planned beyond what Premium covers.

From a value perspective, Premium still consolidates a lot of content relative to buying each item separately. But players understandably focus on the headline number: a digital edition of a racing game now costs the equivalent of nearly two previous full-price titles.

What You Get in Each Bundle, in Detail

If you’re not steeped in Forza terminology, names like “Car Pass” and “VIP” can sound vague. Here’s a breakdown of what those features typically mean, based on official descriptions and how they were used in previous entries.

Base Game (Standard Edition)

The Standard Edition gives you the full core experience:

• Access to the entire starting car roster (hundreds of vehicles at launch)
• The complete open-world map and progression systems
• Online multiplayer, seasonal events, and live-service updates

This version is also included with Xbox Game Pass on console and PC, so subscribers can play FH6 without purchasing a standalone copy, as with Forza Horizon 5.²

Car Pass and Welcome Pack (Deluxe & Premium)

The Car Pass is essentially a season of drip-fed content: around 30 new cars arriving weekly after launch, automatically unlocked for owners of the pass. In Forza Horizon 5, car passes worked in a similar way, providing a steady flow of new metal for collectors and competitive players.

The Welcome Pack is a smaller bundle typically geared toward giving you a head start:

• A set of pre-tuned cars ready for immediate play
• A car voucher to redeem a vehicle from the in-game auto show
• Some character cosmetics or minor perks

These items don’t fundamentally change the game’s progression, but they can make your early hours more varied and slightly faster.

VIP Membership (Premium Edition or Add-on)

The VIP Membership is where Premium starts to separate itself. Based on prior games and current store listings,³ VIP benefits typically include:

• Double race credits from event payouts, accelerating car purchases
• Exclusive Forza Edition cars with special performance or bonuses
• Weekly Super Wheelspins, which function as large randomized reward drops
• Exclusive in-game house or location, often with cosmetic perks
• Special vanity items (badges, flares, horns) signaling VIP status online

Critically, VIP can often be bought separately after launch. That means you can start with the Standard Edition and upgrade later if you find yourself deeply invested in the game.

Expansions and Extra Car Packs

Premium includes two major expansion packs, which are historically the most substantial DLC drops for a Horizon game. For Forza Horizon 5, expansions like Rally Adventure added new regions, events, and themed vehicle lineups.⁴ While FH6’s expansions weren’t fully detailed at the time of writing, you can usually expect:

• A new map area or heavily remixed region
• Unique race types or campaign threads
• A curated set of vehicles tailored to the theme

The Premium Edition for FH6 also folds in named car packs such as a Time Attack pack and an Italian-focused pack. These bring additional specialties and manufacturer representation at launch, useful if you enjoy specific vehicle categories.

Early Access: Playing Four Days Ahead

Buying Premium (or a Premium add-on if you’re on Game Pass) usually grants four days of early access. This has become a common incentive in the industry, allowing paying players to start their careers and online progression before the wider audience. Depending on how competitive you are, that head start might be purely cosmetic or genuinely important.

Why Premium Still Doesn’t Include Everything

Even at $120, FH6’s Premium Edition is best thought of as a launch-year bundle, not a complete lifetime collection. There are several reasons for that.

Live Service Games Evolve for Years

Modern racing titles, especially Forza, are structured as long-term live services. Forza Horizon 5, for example, kept adding cars, playlists, and limited-time events long after its initial DLC slate was announced, with updates still continuing years after launch.⁴ When a game is designed to run for that long, it’s impossible to pack its entire future into one pre-purchase bundle.

As a result, FH6’s Premium Edition covers:

• The major expansions planned near launch
• An initial wave of car packs and VIP rewards
• Bundles that can be confidently marketed early

But it leaves the door open for:

• Future themed car packs
• Event-linked bundles
• Cosmetic microtransactions or crossovers

That means even if you go all-in on day one, you’re almost certainly going to see additional paid items hit the store later.

Why Players Notice This More at $120

Players are used to the idea that big games will get DLC. The friction comes from the combination of:

• A comparatively high initial outlay for Premium
• The knowledge that more content will still cost extra later
• Incremental increases compared to previous franchise entries

When Premium was closer to $100, it felt like an expensive but contained package. At $120 and beyond, it’s easier to feel like you’re paying early for partial access to a long pipeline of monetized content.

How Forza’s Bundles Compare to Other Big Games

Forza Horizon 6 is not alone in its pricing strategy. Many high-profile games now launch with three or more editions, early access, and bundled season passes. What makes FH6 stand out is the combination of price and the series’ historically large DLC output.

Industry-Wide Adoption of Tiered Editions

Games like Call of Duty, FIFA/EA Sports FC, and other yearly or live-service titles frequently offer:

• A Standard Edition at $70
• A mid-tier version with bonus cosmetics or currency
• A premium bundle with early access and a season pass

In that context, FH6’s structure looks familiar. The debate is less about whether multiple tiers exist and more about what they include and how heavily they’re priced.

Game Pass Complicates Perceived Value

Because Forza Horizon is a Game Pass headliner, the calculus for many players is different. Instead of choosing between Standard and Deluxe, they’re deciding whether to:

• Stick with the included Standard Edition via subscription
• Buy a Premium add-on bundle that layers VIP, expansions, and early access on top of Game Pass access

This structure encourages highly engaged players to treat FH6 as a long-term subscription hobby, while more casual drivers can simply enjoy the core game for a flat monthly fee.

Which Forza Horizon 6 Edition Should You Buy?

The best edition depends on how you expect to play and how price-sensitive you are. Use the following guidance as a practical buying checklist.

Choose Standard Edition (or Just Game Pass) If:

• You’re new to the Forza Horizon series and unsure how much you’ll play.
• You mainly want to explore the map, dabble in events, and try online casually.
• You already subscribe to Xbox Game Pass and are happy to play the base game without extra frills.
• You prefer to decide on expansions later, after reviews and community feedback.

Consider Deluxe Edition If:

• You love collecting cars and want a steady stream of new vehicles.
• Early access and VIP perks don’t matter to you, but car variety does.
• You’re confident you’ll play regularly for months, but not necessarily long enough to justify expansions.

Premium Edition Makes Sense If:

• You played previous Horizon games for hundreds of hours or more.
• You want all major expansion content as soon as it lands.
• The four-day early access window is important to you (e.g., content creators, enthusiasts).
• You value VIP’s boosted credits and exclusive rewards, and would likely buy them separately anyway.

If you fall somewhere in the middle, an alternative is to start with Standard (or Game Pass) and wait for:

• Discounts on Premium or VIP bundles
• Clarification on expansion quality and scope through reviews and community impressions

Tips to Maximize Value Without Overspending

Given the high upfront cost of the Premium Edition, it’s worth thinking strategically about how you approach FH6’s ecosystem.

1. Start with Game Pass Where Possible

If you’re on Xbox or PC and already subscribe to Game Pass, you’re essentially paying nothing extra for the Standard Edition. That gives you a low-risk way to gauge how much you enjoy the new physics, map, and handling model before committing to any add-ons.

2. Wait for Expansion Details and Reviews

Expansions can vary in quality. For FH5, some players adored one expansion while finding another less compelling. Waiting for detailed information and post-launch reviews lets you buy the content that actually interests you rather than a blind bundle.

3. Consider VIP as a Separate Upgrade

If the main draw of Premium for you is the 2x credits and VIP exclusives, it may be more economical to:

• Stick with Standard or Game Pass
• Buy VIP separately after you’re sure you’re invested

That way, you don’t pay upfront for expansions you might not enjoy or for car packs you won’t fully use.

4. Watch for Sales and Bundles

Over time, Forza bundles tend to be discounted, especially around major sales periods or after expansions have been out for a while. If you’re patient, you can often get near-Premium content coverage for significantly less than the day-one asking price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Premium Edition include every Forza Horizon 6 DLC?

No. The Premium Edition includes the base game, VIP, Car Pass, Welcome Pack, two major expansions, and several specific car packs, but it does not guarantee access to all future DLC. Additional car packs, cosmetic bundles, or themed add-ons released later may still cost extra.

Is Forza Horizon 6 on Xbox Game Pass?

Yes. As a first-party Xbox title, Forza Horizon 6 is available on Xbox Game Pass in its Standard Edition form, similar to Forza Horizon 5.² You can then optionally purchase a Premium add-on bundle if you want VIP, expansions, and early access on top of your subscription.

Can I upgrade from the Standard Edition to Premium later?

Historically, Forza games have offered upgrade bundles, such as a “Premium Add-Ons Bundle” for Game Pass users. While exact FH6 options may differ, it’s reasonable to expect some form of upgrade path that bundles VIP, expansions, and other content without requiring you to re-buy the base game.

Are expansions worth it for casual players?

That depends on how you play. If you mostly cruise the main map, participate in seasonal events occasionally, and don’t feel the need for more regions, you might be perfectly satisfied with the base game. Expansions are best suited to players who want fresh environments and specialized event types after exhausting what the core map has to offer.

Why is the Premium Edition more expensive than Forza Horizon 5’s Premium Edition?

Several factors contribute: a higher standard game price across the industry,¹ rising development budgets, and the inclusion of multiple large content drops in one package. The structure is similar to FH5’s Premium bundle, but it’s built on a more expensive baseline and exists in a market where tiered, high-priced editions have become normal.