Horizon 6 lifts 6.8 million XGP players, but Xbox's new console may skip the controller

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Forza Horizon 6 has emerged as the biggest new-user driver for Xbox Game Pass in 2026, according to Alinea Analytics, drawing about 6.8 million new players across console, PC, and cloud. The firm also estimates the game has generated roughly $270 million through Xbox sales and premium upgrade content, while still averaging around 2 million daily active users nearly a month after launch.

The striking part is how well the game is doing on both sides of Microsoft’s model. It is pulling in subscribers, but it is also converting engagement into full-price spending, while keeping players active. More than 20% of players have logged over 50 hours, which suggests this is more than a launch-week spike.

That retention is the real story. Forza Horizon 6 seems to win less through spectacle than through giving players a reason to come back.

A separate wave of Xbox and Capcom chatter added more fuel. Tech reporter and insider Jez Corden said in a YouTube video that Microsoft’s next Xbox could skip the bundled controller to keep the price down, based on his own judgment and what he has heard about Steam Machine. It is not official confirmation, but if true, it would alter a long-standing console expectation.

There was also a GTA6 rumor claiming Lucia will carry out ordinary open-world behavior, including shopping at a supermarket in certain scenes. That detail comes from leaks, not an official reveal, but it is the kind of small, everyday behavior that can make a world feel more convincing.

Capcom, meanwhile, said in a Street Fighter 6 post that Tifa is being reworked as a proper Street Fighter version of the character, not a simple skin. The company described her as a core member of the anti-Shinra group Avalanche, a master of Zangan-style martial arts, and someone who meets new fighters in another world. It also stressed that her move set blends elements from Final Fantasy VII and other works.

Devil May Cry 5 added a more concrete sales story. Capcom’s latest console sales report says the game sold 2.1 million copies at launch in 2019, while last fiscal year it sold 2.7 million copies, setting a yearly record since release. Analysts cited in the report pointed to the Netflix adaptation, digital discounts, and ongoing community discussion as key reasons for the growth.

The through line is simple: older games can still move numbers when subscriptions, discounts, and cross-media attention all line up. For players, that often matters more than launch-day hype.