Forza Horizon 6 draws the line on smashable environments in its Japanese setting
The series keeps its signature destruction, but adds boundaries to reflect Japanese culture and religious spaces.
Environmental destruction has long been a defining mechanic of the Forza Horizon series, rewarding players with experience points for plowing through fences, signs, and vegetation. With Forza Horizon 6, however, Playground Games is applying clearer boundaries to that system in order to reflect its Japanese setting more carefully. While most of the open world remains interactive to preserve the series’ fast-paced exploration, specific landmarks and natural elements have been deliberately excluded from destruction.
The approach was detailed in an interview with The Japan Times, where design director Torben Ellert explained that locations of cultural significance—such as shrines, temples, and cherry blossom trees—cannot be damaged. “Almost all trees in the game are smashable to ensure that traversing the world map is both fun and rewarding,” Ellert explains. “However, several tree types are not — for example, the cherry blossom trees — because they’re an iconic element of Japanese culture. Certain temples or other cultural elements are also excluded so that players aren’t tempted to drive through shrines or locations of cultural importance.”
Respecting the land of the Rising Sun
Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are widely recognized in Japan as symbols of renewal and impermanence, and they are protected in many real-world contexts. Their indestructible status in the game reflects an effort to acknowledge that significance rather than treat them as purely decorative assets. To support this broader effort, Playground Games worked with cultural consultant Kyoko Yamashita, whose role was to help ensure that the depiction of Japanese environments and daily life avoided oversimplification or stereotypes.
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