• Primary Subject: Open-World Driving Games on Xbox Game Pass
• **Key Update: **Forza Horizon 6 arrives in May 2026 as a day-one Game Pass title
• **Status: **Confirmed
• **Last Verified: **February 1, 2026
• **Quick Answer: **Forza Horizon 5 remains the best open-world racer on Game Pass, with Need for Speed Unbound and Burnout Paradise Remastered available via EA Play (Game Pass Ultimate)

There’s something oddly, but deeply gratifying, about driving in an open-world space with no particular destination in mind. Maybe I’ll do a race. Maybe I’ll try some stunts or hunt for collectibles, or maybe I’ll just drive until the sun sets over some digital horizon I’ve never seen before.

To date, Xbox Game Pass has an impressive selection of games that you can choose to fulfill this wandering itch. And with Forza Horizon 6 launching this May as a day-one Game Pass title, the library is only getting stronger.

I’ve spent more hours than I’d like to admit cruising through virtual landscapes when I should’ve been doing literally anything else, and I’m here to help you figure out which games deserve some of your "extra" time.

Regardless of whether you’re looking for pure arcade, street racing, or just a beautiful open world to lose yourself in, Game Pass has you covered. The only caveat is that you’ll need to pay attention to whether something requires the base subscription or the Game Pass Ultimate, which includes EA Play.

Forza Horizon 5

Credit: Playground Games

• Release Date: November 2021
• Available on: Xbox Game Pass Premium

There’s a reason why Forza Horizon 5 has been the benchmark for open-world racing for over four years now, and it’s because it’s simply that good. Set across a stunningly recreated Mexico, the game offers everything from dense jungles and ancient ruins to sprawling deserts and coastal towns.

The map is enormous, the car selection is ridiculous, with over 700 vehicles to choose from, and the seasonal content keeps surprisingly fresh even years after launch.

What I love most about the Forza titles is how I can play them depending on my mood. Want to jump into a quick sprint? Done. Feel like spending hours customizing a livery? Go for it. In the mood to cruise around and smash cacti? Fine.

It’s the video game equivalent of a really good road trip playlist, something for every mood, but nothing that overstays its welcome.

Forza Horizon 6

Credit: Playground Games

• Release Date: May 2026
• Available on: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention Forza Horizon 6 on this list because it is right around the corner. I loved Initial D, and so I’ve been hoping for a Japan since Horizon 3, so when the devs finally announced it, I practically exploded with excitement. The game launches on May 19, 2026, and yes, it’s a Day-One Game Pass title.

From what I’ve seen so far, FH6 will introduce a new Collector’s Journal, directly inspired by the Japanese tradition of "eki-stamp" collection, where visitors collect rubber stamps from train stations and tourist spots. The map features everything from Mount Fuji to tight urban environments, with the car list at launch including over 550 vehicles.

If you’re on the fence about Game Pass, the timing of this game couldn’t be better. Sign up in May, and you’ll have immediate access to what might be the biggest racing game of the year.

Need for Speed Unbound

Credit: Criterion Games

• Release Date: December 2022
• Available on: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Need for Speed Unbound is the definition of an acquired taste, and I mean that as a compliment. The cel-shaded effects and comic visuals were divisive when the game launched, but once you get past it, especially the overly long prologue, there’s an excellent street racer underneath.

The biggest change here is how the police work. Every day is split into a Day/Night cycle, and as you participate in illicit races, "heat" starts to build up, and police start looking for you in traditional Need for Speed fashion. Police response is pretty tenacious at higher levels, but at lower ranks, they’re relatively easy to escape from.

At first, you’ll have to deal with patrol cars that can barely keep up with you. Eventually, you’ll start dealing with interceptors, helicopters, barricades, and heavy rams, which are going to smash the hell out of your car.

Car customization is arguably the best in the series, and the handling sits in that perfect sweet spot between arcade and something that rewards clean driving. It’s not as immediately approachable as Forza Horizon, but if you want a racing game that feels a bit grittier and you don’t mind some underwhelming aesthetics, Need for Speed Unbound might be for you.

Burnout Paradise Remastered

Credit: EA

• Release Date: March 2018
• Available on: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Sometimes you don’t want to win races. Sometimes you want to crash into things at 200mph and watch the slo-mo destruction unfold in your sights.

Even though Burnout Paradise is technically a 2008 game with a 2018 coat of paint, it remains one of the best open-world racing games ever designed. There are no loading screens, no menu navigation, just drive to any intersection, hold a button, and you’re in an event.

Road Rage challenges, Marked Man chases, Stunt Runs, and traditional races keep things interesting for way longer than you’d expect from a game this old.

The remaster includes all the DLC from the original, including Big Surf Island, and for a game with its age, the graphics hold up surprisingly well even in 4K.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered

Credit: Criterion Games

• Release Date: November 2020
• Available on: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered doesn’t have the same sprawling open-world as Forza or Need for Speed Unbound, but the iconic Seacrest County’s interconnected roads and coastal highways create something that feels open even when you’re locked into a race route. It’s the truest cops vs. racers game, where you can play as either side, and both feel fantastic.

As a racer, you’re dodging spike strips and EMPs while trying to hit high speeds. As a cop, you’re deploying those same tools to take down these street racers before they escape. It’s cat-and-mouse with gasoline, and the tension never really lets up. If you want something that’s pure arcade racing, this can be your pick.

SnowRunner - Your Slow Burn Alternative

Credit: Saber Interactive

• Release Date: April 2020
• Available on: Xbox Game Pass Standard and Ultimate

SnowRunner is the only game not carrying the "racing" label on this list. There’s no nitrous, no drifting, and no podium finishes. Instead, you’re wrestling a truck through terrain that actively hates you. It’s man vs nature at its finest.

The premise is simple: drive trucks through absurdly difficult terrain to deliver cargo. Mud, snow, rivers, rocky paths, and every environment you can think of that’s so harsh they’re trying to kill your truck. Success will only come through patience, planning your routes, and knowing when to winch yourself out of a ditch.

I’ll admit this kind of games aren’t for everyone. But if you’ve ever been curious and wanted a small glimpse of a truck driver’s "a day in the life," or a driving game where the journey matters more than the destination, SnowRunner is serenely brilliant.

Xbox Game Pass offers a genuinely impressive selection of open-world driving games, especially if you’re subscribed to the Ultimate tier. My recommendation? Start with anything Forza. You’ll never regret it.

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