Forza Horizon 6 Pre-Orders Signal Racing Games’ Last Stand as a Mainstream Genre

Forza Horizon 6: A Pre-Order Juggernaut

Since early April, Forza Horizon 6 has dominated Steam's weekly revenue charts—and it hasn't even launched yet. By April 15, over 500,000 pre-orders had been recorded, a figure that has likely doubled given its persistent top-ten presence. For context, Battlefield 6 boasted around 1.7 million pre-orders just before its October 10 release. While pre-ordering digital games remains contentious, the allure is clear: the $120 Premium Edition offers four days early access and all future DLC, plus a bonus "Pre-Tuned Ferrari J50." But the full game includes over 500 cars, making that incentive seem modest. This success prompted a look back at recent racing game launches on Steam.

Racing Games on Steam: Recent Launches Analyzed

We examined Steam revenue charts to identify the last racing game to crack the top ten (excluding titles like RV There Yet?, GTA 5, or RoadCraft, which involve driving but aren't pure racers).

Sonic Crossworlds

Released September 25, 2025, this kart racer nearly breached the top ten at #11, trailing behind hits like Megabonk and Silent Hill f.

F1 25

The official Formula 1 game hit #5 during its launch week (May 31, 2025), showcasing strong but short-lived demand.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer

Despite being the most talked-about racer of 2025, it peaked at #11 during early access (January 23, 2025) and failed to reach the top 20 after its full release on September 25. Its brand power couldn't match Sonic or F1.

Assetto Corsa Evo

This sim racer launched on January 7, 2025, reaching #6 in its debut week—a respectable showing for a niche title.

Other Notable Misses

Games like Screamer (positive reviews), Carmageddon: Rogue Shift, Ride 6, and MotoGP 26 all failed to penetrate the top ten. The pattern is clear: racing games rarely dominate Steam's charts.

Why Racing Games No Longer Dominate the Conversation

If you lived through the '90s and early 2000s, racing games were a pillar of the medium. Today, aside from Mario Kart and the Forza Horizon series, they struggle to stay relevant. Even when sales are solid, racing titles rarely spark prolonged debate. Consider Mixtape—a game currently generating heated discussions—while Forza Horizon 6 will likely inspire a flurry of vertical videos showcasing its truncated Japanese setting, but little critical debate. Moreover, since each new Horizon iteration feels familiar, there's limited novelty to discuss. The genre has become a quiet success story, not a cultural flashpoint.

The Last of a Dying Breed?

Forza Horizon 6 stands as an anomaly: a racing game generating pre-order numbers rivaling blockbuster shooters. But its singularity underscores the genre's decline. Racing games have transitioned from a mainstream staple to a niche interest, with only a few franchises able to command attention. Whether that trend reverses remains to be seen, but for now, Forza Horizon is the last truly mainstream multiplatform racing series—and its pre-order success proves it.