Forza Horizon 6 Leaked Early After Steam Upload Mistake

Steam allows players to preload encrypted game files ahead of release so the title is ready to play when the encryption key arrives on launch day. Early Sunday morning, Microsoft uploaded roughly 155 GB of Forza Horizon 6 data to Steam without encryption, as tracked by SteamDB. The mistake was spotted quickly on social media and Reddit, where users noted the files were openly accessible.

Pirated, playable versions of Forza Horizon 6 appeared on game piracy sites more than a week before the official launch. The unencrypted upload meant the game’s copy protection was ineffective, a point highlighted by Reddit’s CrackWatch community. Within hours, users reported that the protection had been broken, enabling straightforward downloads of the full game, and the initial CrackWatch post was later removed by Reddit’s Legal Operations team while discussion continued.

The incident shows how a single distribution error can undermine anti‑piracy measures and affect sales projections for a major franchise. Publishers may review their upload pipelines and add extra checks to prevent similar exposures. Players should expect heightened monitoring of preload processes and possibly stricter controls on future releases. What to watch next: whether Microsoft issues a statement, updates its Steam handling procedures, and how the leak influences the game’s initial sales figures and community response.