Forza Horizon 6 is off to the races in more ways than one. Rightfully so, it has garnered high praise from critics around the world and reached monumental peaks in its player count, with a 24-hour peak of just over 270,000 according to Steam DB. Since there are a lot more players in this world, some have come across a rather interesting dig at Nintendo and its overbearing legal protection of the Pokémon franchise.
Just Trying to be a Pal
Forza Horizon 6 finally takes players to Japan, a highly requested location for most of the Forza Horizon fanbase. As you take in all the views that Japan has to offer, you’ll most likely be listening to Horizon Radio, which is home to a very witty DJ who appears to have taken a dig at Nintendo and the Pokémon Company swiftly. Spotted by the X user wxrry via Gamespot, while on Horizon radio, one of the hosts suggests that while players are tearing up the streets of Japan, they might want to take in the scenic views of the mountains and “snap ‘em all!” Directly after that, the host follows that statement up with “it’s like that Japanese collecting game we’re not allowed to name for legal reasons.”
Someone Change the Station
It’s no secret that Nintendo is protective of the biggest media franchise of all time in Pokémon. The long-standing legal battle they’re currently entrenched in with Pocketpair and Palworld is a clear example of the lengths they’re willing to go to protect the IP. Admittedly, the last place I’d expect a dig at Pokémon to pop up would’ve been Forza Horizon 6, but hats off to them for getting this in under the radar.
