Forza Horizon 6 online multiplayer guide

Horizon Japan is great solo, but a lot of its character comes out online. Whether you want quick races against strangers, a co-op championship with a team, or to build your own events, there is a mode for it, and most are open to you early. Here is how each online mode works and how to jump in.

trick-dis's tutorial shows the convoy and invite flow if you want to see it in action first.

Horizon Open

Horizon Open is casual drop-in online racing you can join at any time, with playlists covering road, dirt, street and more. There is no qualification or setup: pick a playlist, get matched with other players, and race. Collisions can usually be toggled, so it stays fun rather than a wreck-fest, and it is the fastest way to get racing against real people.

It is also a low-pressure place to test a car or a tune you have been working on from the tuning guide against humans rather than AI.

The Trial and co-op

The Trial is a co-op championship in the Festival Playlist. A team of players lines up against a tougher field of AI, and winning the championship rewards Series Points that feed your playlist progress. It rewards communication and clean teamwork, since the team result is what counts, not just your own finish.

Co-op extends beyond The Trial too. You can form a convoy with friends and tackle events, exploration and challenges together as a group, sharing the open world as you go.

Rivals

Rivals are asynchronous time trials. You are not racing live; you chase the recorded times of friends and the wider community on the leaderboards, then try to beat them lap by lap. It is the most precise test of pace in the game and a great way to learn a route's perfect line without the chaos of a live pack.

Convoys

A convoy is a group of players travelling the map together. The leader keeps everyone connected while you drive around, and can pull the whole group into events at once. It is the social backbone of online play: meet up, cruise, then drop into races or games as one crew. Convoys are the easiest way to play with friends, and you can start one almost as soon as you are online.

EventLab

EventLab is the creation suite. You can build custom races and games, lay out routes and rules, then share your creations with a code, or play the endless stream of events other players have made. If you enjoy designing as much as driving, it is a deep, open-ended part of the game that keeps producing new things to race long after the campaign.

How to jump in

You do not need to commit to one mode. A simple way to start:

1. Open the online or Horizon Play menu from the map.
2. For instant racing, drop into Horizon Open and pick a playlist.
3. To play with friends, invite them to a convoy, then have the leader launch events for the group.
4. For a structured team challenge, take on The Trial when it appears in the Festival Playlist.

Most online events also feed your seasonal progress, so playing with others doubles as playlist completion. See how those rewards stack up in our Festival Playlist explained guide, and if you are still finding your feet, the beginner's guide covers the fundamentals before you head online.