Xbox's biggest May release just leaked early and is spreading on piracy websites

The leak may cost Playground Games millions Xbox developer Playground Games' Forza Horizon 6 has leaked early, and some players who have downloaded and played the game are finding themselves banned from playing it — and other Forza games. Set to launch on May 19, Forza Horizon 6 is a multiplayer racing-sim franchise that has long been an Xbox staple. The newest entry is set in Japan, meaning players will race past iconic landmarks like the Shibuya Crossing, Ginkgo Avenue, and Tokyo Tower. It also promises features like Horizon Rush, a new event type where players can show off their skills on obstacle courses, as well as updated car and environment sounds. All in all, Forza Horizon 6 looked as though it was shaping up to be one of Playground Games' biggest launches. However, that launch is now in jeopardy. As reported on gaming and piracy subreddits, users claimed that Playground Games uploaded the PC version of Forza Horizon 6's preload files to the Steam storefront without first encrypting them, leading to the game being pirated. Around 155 GB of content, reportedly including thousands of assets, was snatched by eager users and, as predicted, shared across multiple piracy sites. A