Playground Games has finally pulled back the curtain on one of Forza Horizon 6‘s most talked-about design choices: you can flatten almost anything in Japan, except its soul. In a fresh interview, design director Torben Ellert confirmed that shrines, temples, and cherry blossom trees are completely indestructible, a deliberate move to protect the cultural heart of the country players are racing through.
Why Playground Games Made Sacred Sites Crash-Proof
Speaking to The Japan Times this week, Ellert explained that the studio drew a firm line between fun chaos and cultural respect. While the Horizon series is famous for letting players plow through fences, road signs, and even forests for XP, Japan demanded a different approach.
“Almost all trees in the game are smashable to ensure that traversing the world map is both fun and rewarding,” Ellert said. “However, several tree types are not, for example, the cherry blossom trees, because they’re an iconic element of Japanese culture.”
Temples, torii gates, and shrines fall under the same protected list. The decision, according to Ellert, was made early in development so players “aren’t tempted to drive through shrines or locations of cultural importance.”
How Playground Avoided a Cultural Misstep
Setting a Horizon game in Japan has been the community’s most requested wish for nearly a decade. But Playground knew the country could not just be treated as a giant playground of neon and noise. The studio brought in Japanese consultants, local staff, and cultural advisors throughout the four-year build.
Ellert told reporters the team actively invited criticism during development. “We tried really hard to get people to course correct us if we were drifting,” he said, a quote that has already gone viral across racing forums and Japanese gaming Twitter.
That feedback loop shaped everything from signage fonts to the way rice paddies reflect light in spring. It also led to the no-smash rule on anything tied to Shinto or Buddhist worship.
What Players Can and Cannot Destroy in Forza Horizon 6
The game’s destruction system is still one of the most generous in any open-world racer. But the new Japan map introduces a clear hierarchy of what survives a 200 mph collision.
| Object Type | Destructible? |
|---|---|
| Regular trees and bushes | Yes |
| Wooden fences and road barriers | Yes |
| Vending machines and signs | Yes |
| Cherry blossom trees (sakura) | No |
| Shinto shrines and torii gates | No |
| Buddhist temples | No |
| Stone lanterns at sacred sites | No |
Players who try to ram a torii gate will find their car bouncing off as if it hit an invisible wall. Some early testers on Reddit have called the collision “satisfyingly solid,” while others jokingly complained that their drift lines now have new permanent obstacles.
A Map That Changes With the Seasons
Forza Horizon 6 packs a stylized version of Japan that compresses Tokyo’s neon streets, Mount Fuji’s foothills, Kyoto-inspired old towns, and coastal fishing villages into one drivable world. The game’s signature dynamic seasons return, meaning cherry blossoms only bloom in spring, snow blankets the mountains in winter, and typhoons roll through during the rainy season.
Ellert told The Japan Times the sakura trees were treated almost like characters in the map. Their petals fall in real time, scatter when cars speed past, and coat the road in pink. Letting players uproot them, he said, would break “the emotional contract” the studio wanted with Japanese players.
- Spring: Cherry blossoms in full bloom, festival routes activated
- Summer: Coastal drives, fireworks events, humid heat haze effects
- Autumn: Red maple forests across mountain passes
- Winter: Snow rally stages near the Japanese Alps
Launch Numbers and Player Reception So Far
The conversation around the indestructible shrines is happening at a strange moment for the game. Forza Horizon 6 is currently only officially playable for buyers of the Premium Edition, with the standard release still days away. Even so, the title has already cracked into Steam’s top sellers and is pulling huge concurrent player counts.
Early reviews have praised the studio for handling the Japan setting with care rather than caricature. The cultural protection rule has become a talking point that critics are pointing to as a sign of mature open-world design.
On X, formerly Twitter, Japanese players have widely praised the decision, with many sharing screenshots of cherry blossom roads using the tag #ForzaHorizon6. Some have called it the most respectful Western depiction of Japan in a major game since Ghost of Tsushima.
What This Means for the Future of Open-World Racers
Playground’s choice could set a new standard for how big studios handle real-world locations. For years, open-world games have leaned on pure destructibility as a selling point. Forza Horizon 6 is quietly arguing that restraint can be just as immersive as chaos.
It also signals a shift in how Western developers approach foreign settings. Instead of flattening culture for spectacle, the team chose to make certain landmarks literally unbreakable, a design language that doubles as a statement.
For players, the rule is simple. Smash the fences, shred the forests, send vending machines flying. But when you see a torii gate or a sakura tree in full bloom, slow down and enjoy the view. Playground Games made sure the country gets the final say.
Forza Horizon 6’s blend of breakneck racing and cultural humility is hitting a nerve with players who have waited years for this exact setting. The fact that a racing game is sparking conversations about respect, tradition, and design ethics says a lot about where the genre is heading. What do you think of Playground’s decision to protect Japan’s sacred spots? Drop your thoughts in the comments and share your favorite Forza Horizon 6 moments using #ForzaHorizon6.
