FH6 Convoy & Multiplayer: How to Play With Friends
Published: May 14, 2026 · 8 min read
Multiplayer Overview
Forza Horizon 6 offers several multiplayer modes, from casual free-roam with friends to competitive PvP racing and co-op PvE events. The game supports up to 72 players per server (up from 48 in FH5), split across the open world and instanced events. This guide covers every online mode and provides tips for getting the most out of each.
Convoys: Playing with Friends
Convoys are FH6's party system. Create or join a Convoy to play with friends in the same open world server. Up to 6 players can be in a single Convoy. Here is how it works:
- Creating a Convoy: Open the pause menu, go to the "Convoy" tab, and select "Create Convoy." Your session becomes joinable by friends.
- Joining a Convoy: Accept a game invite from a friend, or find their session through the Xbox/Windows Friends List and select "Join Game."
- Convoy features: All Convoy members appear on the same map with colored icons. You can fast-travel to any Convoy member's location for free. XP and credits earned are shared among the group.
- Convoy events: The Convoy leader can start events that all members automatically join — races, PR stunts, Horizon Arcade, and more. Members can also start events and invite the Convoy.
- Leaving a Convoy: Press Start, go to Convoy, and select "Leave Convoy." You will remain in the same server unless you quit to the main menu.
Convoy Etiquette
- Use the Convoy voice chat or an external party (Discord) for coordination. In-game voice is adequate but quality varies.
- The Convoy leader controls event invitations. If you want to start a specific race, ask the leader or leave and create your own Convoy.
- If a Convoy member is AFK, the leader can kick them from the Convoy (not the server). This opens a slot for another player.
- When doing co-op races, the group's collective performance matters. Wait at the finish line for slower members if the event requires all players to finish.
Horizon Open: Competitive PvP
Horizon Open is FH6's competitive multiplayer playlist with ranked matchmaking. It offers several race types and a ranking system with divisions from Bronze to Elite.
Race Types
- Road Racing: Standard circuit and point-to-point races on paved roads. The most popular and competitive mode.
- Street Racing (Night): Road racing variants that take place at night with traffic enabled. Traffic adds chaos and requires different strategies.
- Dirt Racing: Off-road circuits and sprints. Tighter racing due to lower speeds and looser surfaces.
- Cross Country: The most chaotic mode. Open terrain with jumps, water crossings, and destructible objects.
- Custom: Rotating playlists with specific car restrictions (e.g., "A Class Japanese Icons" or "S1 Retro Muscle").
Ranking System
Your rank is determined by your performance in Horizon Open events. Winning races and finishing on the podium increases your rank. The system uses a hidden MMR (Matchmaking Rating) that adjusts based on race finishes and opponent strength.
| Division | MMR Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 0 - 1,000 | Starting division. You will be matched with other new players. |
| Silver | 1,000 - 2,500 | Most players settle here. Competition is fair. |
| Gold | 2,500 - 4,500 | Above average. You need consistent top-3 finishes to advance. |
| Platinum | 4,500 - 6,500 | Strong players with good car knowledge and racecraft. |
| Diamond | 6,500 - 8,500 | Top 10% of players. Expect meta builds and aggressive racing. |
| Elite | 8,500+ | Top 1%. The best drivers on the platform. |
Horizon Open Tips
- Bring meta cars: In ranked play, car choice matters. For Road Racing S1, the 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS and 2018 McLaren Senna are dominant. For A class dirt, the Hoonigan RS200 is king.
- Practice your tunes: A good tune is worth 2-3 seconds per lap. Download tunes from top-ranked players or use the tuning guide on this site.
- Defend strategically: Blocking is allowed in FH6 Open racing. Defend your line into corners but do not weave on straights (this is considered poor etiquette and can get you reported).
- Watch the minimap: Pay attention to other cars' positions. If someone is 0.5 seconds behind going into the final corner, defend the inside line.
- Use the rewind exploit carefully: In non-ranked Open events, rewinding is available but resets you to a slower pace. Only rewind if you crash hard.
Horizon Arcade: Co-op PvE
Horizon Arcade is a series of co-operative PvE events that spawn randomly on the map. Unlike FH5's Arcade system which required waiting for scheduled events, FH6's Arcade events trigger dynamically based on player density in an area. Any player can start an Arcade event by driving to an active hotspot on the map.
Arcade Event Types
- Drift Arcade: Accumulate drift score as a group. Each player's score adds to the collective total. Best done with 2-4 players in drift cars working the same area.
- Wreckage Arcade: Destroy a target number of destructible objects — fences, walls, signs, crops. The group score is combined.
- Speed Arcade: Reach cumulative speed milestones through speed traps and zones. High-speed hypercars are the best choice here.
- Air Arcade: Reach a combined air time target. Find jumps near the active area and create a circuit that loops multiple jumps.
- Chaos Arcade: A mix of all skill types. Score points from any skill action. This is the easiest Arcade type since everything counts.
Arcade Rewards
Completing all three rounds of a Horizon Arcade event rewards:
- Round 1 completion: 20 Forzathon Points
- Round 2 completion: 30 Forzathon Points
- Round 3 completion: 50 Forzathon Points + Wheelspin
- Bonus: If you are in a Convoy, all members receive the rewards. Forzathon Points are shared.
Horizon Arcade is the fastest way to earn Forzathon Points outside of the Festival Playlist. A full 3-round Arcade takes approximately 15-20 minutes with a good group.
The Eliminator: Battle Royale
The Eliminator is FH6's take on the battle royale genre. Up to 72 players are dropped into the map in slow Volkswagen Beetles and must find car drop crates to upgrade their vehicle. The play area shrinks over time, and the last player standing wins.
Eliminator Strategy Tips
- Head to car drops immediately: The first 2 minutes are critical. Drive toward the nearest car drop icon on your map. Do not engage other players until you have at least a Level 4 car.
- Car level matters more than car quality: A Level 6 Ford Transit is faster than a Level 3 Lamborghini. Upgrade tiers are: Level 1-2 (slow), Level 3-4 (medium), Level 5-6 (fast), Level 7-8 (very fast), Level 9-10 (hypercars).
- Avoid unnecessary head-to-head races: When you challenge another player to a head-to-head race, you risk elimination. Only challenge if you are confident your car is 2+ levels higher than theirs.
- Use the terrain: If you know a shortcut through a field or valley, use it to escape or close distance. The minimap shows the finish line direction but not terrain difficulty.
- Play the last zone smart: With 10 or fewer players remaining, stop chasing car drops and position yourself near the center of the safe zone. Let other players fight each other.
- Final head-to-head: In the final 2, the game initiates a head-to-head race. You can see the other player's car level on the HUD. If you are outclassed, take risky shortcuts. If you are stronger, play it safe on the road.
Custom Events & Blueprints
FH6's Event Blueprint system lets you create and share custom races with any car restrictions, track configuration, route, and rules. You can share blueprints via Share Codes — 10-character alphanumeric codes that other players can enter to play your event.
- Creating blueprints: Go to any event icon on the map, select "Create Blueprint," and customize everything — route (using the route creator), car restrictions, class limits, number of laps, time of day, and weather.
- Finding blueprints: The Blueprint browser in the Creative Hub lets you search by tags, rating, or share code. Trending blueprints rotate weekly.
- Featured blueprints: Playground Games features community blueprints in the "Featured" section. Getting featured is a great way to earn downloads toward Legendary Creator status.
- Playing with friends: To play custom blueprints with friends, share the code in your Convoy chat. All members search for the share code and join the same event.
Forza Link: The Quick Chat System
Forza Link is FH6's radial menu for quick communication without voice chat. It auto-generates context-relevant phrases — "Nice overtake!" after a clean pass, "I will wait" if you stop for a teammate, "Follow me" when leading in an Arcade event. Use Forza Link to coordinate with random players in Arcade and The Trial. It is mapped to the D-Pad by default and is surprisingly effective for basic coordination.