Forza Horizon 6 cracked over a week before launch after Steam preload error

Playground Games' highly anticipated Forza Horizon 6 has been cracked and circulated across piracy sites more than a week before its May 19 launch, after what appears to be a critical error in how preload files were uploaded to Steam Microsoft Corporation ↘ 1.55%.

The leak, first spotted on the r/CrackWatch subreddit, stemmed from unencrypted game files being made available through Steam's preload system. Normally, preloaded games are downloaded in encrypted form and only unlocked once a title officially launches. In this case, the roughly 155GB build was pushed without that protection, allowing users to download and run the full game with minimal effort. Gameplay footage and screenshots quickly spread across social media, though the pirated version lacks online multiplayer functionality.opencritic+4

A Familiar Problem

The incident closely mirrors a similar failure that struck Death Stranding 2: On the Beach in March, when unencrypted preload files appeared on Steam two days before that game's PC launch. In both cases, the absence of more robust digital rights management like Denuvo made the games particularly easy to crack once the encryption lapse occurred. Forza Horizon 6's Steam listing does not include a Denuvo Anti-Tamper notice, according to a review of the store page and SteamDB metadata conducted before launch.games+3

Discussion on Reddit's r/Steam and r/pcgaming communities pointed the blame squarely at the publisher rather than Valve's platform. "This is not an issue with Steam itself; rather, it's a mistake made by the publisher and/or developer," one widely upvoted comment noted. Some users suggested the files may have been exposed after someone with early access shared a manifest depot key, though the prevailing explanation remains that unencrypted files were uploaded directly.reddit+1

What Comes Next

Forza Horizon 6 is set to launch on May 15 for Premium Edition buyers and May 19 for Standard and Deluxe Edition owners on Windows PC and Xbox Series X/S, with a PlayStation 5 version expected later this year. The game is also included with Xbox Game Pass on day one.wikipedia+2

Microsoft and Playground Games have not publicly addressed the leak. TheGamer, which first reported on the leaked files in detail, confirmed their existence while noting that established piracy communities have historically declined to host pre-release content. For now, the full single-player experience remains freely available to anyone willing to look — a costly embarrassment for one of Xbox's flagship franchises heading into launch week.opencritic