A specific job listing may have outed the existence of Forza Horizon 6 already, way ahead of an official reveal - and just 6 months after its predecessor was released.
According to GameRant, the job listing was spotted on GameJobs.co posted by none other than Forza series developer Playground Games. The listing calls for a level designer to join the Forza Horizon team, with the work being on an upcoming AAA title.
Now, you don't need immense powers of deduction to see that this more or less points to a new Forza Horizon game in development - perhaps Forza Horizon 6. Even if Microsoft or Playground Games doesn't state the obvious, it's almost positively already there.
As for the listing itself, it also highlights a few more responsibilities that the new hire must do. It says that the level designer will work with the environment artists to focus on creating whitebox environments, as well as the game's internal structures. In simpler terms, the designer will likely work on creating the new game's open world map by populating it with buildings, natural scenery, and other stuff for players to race around in.
To do their jobs, candidates are required to be proficient in using 3DS Max as well as other "proprietary tools" developed by Playground. It is not made clear what these tools are, but the reasons are obvious: they're probably developed in-house specifically for the Forza Horizon team to use.
Either way, this job listing has appeared really early in the release schedule of Microsoft's premiere racing series on Xbox. Forza Horizon 5 hasn't been out for a year, and now the team at Playground Games is already looking for new talent to work on another.
This also could indicate that the development team wants to get a headstart on what could be a long project. Forza Horizon 5 took three years to develop (via WindowsCentral) and clearly released within the same time frame after Forza Horizon 4.
Read also: 'Forza Horizon 5' Just Got Sign Language Support
Where Should Forza Horizon 6 Go Next?
One can say that the Forza series, which Microsoft and Xbox launched as a direct competitor to Sony and PlayStation's Gran Turismo, relies a lot on its setting to appeal to fans. There are no other details - confirmed or otherwise - relating to Forza Horizon 6, but hopes for specific exotic locales already abound.
For the 5th game, Playground Games brought racers to the swampy and sandy lands of Mexico. But according to Dexerto, there are other great locales that the racing franchise must explore, and they don't have to be in the Western Hemisphere at all.
One of the settings they want to see is China. The country itself is an amazing hodgepodge of locales ranging from tech-infused megacities to cool, calm countrysides. Imagine if there was a race held around (or even on top of) the Great Wall - that could be something amazing to behold.
Another potential Asian locale for the next Forza Horizon game is India. According to CogConnected, this country presents another unique cultural identity and varied geography that would be just absolutely gorgeous to explore on a supercar. Furthermore, it is one of the most underrepresented areas of the world.
What about you? Where do you think should the Forza Horizon series go next?
Related: 'Forza Horizon 5': How to Unlock Every Achievement Guide
Story posted on GameNGuide
Written by RJ Pierce