Overview
- Premium Edition Early Access begins Friday for most regions, with U.S. Xbox consoles unlocking late Thursday at 9:01 p.m. PT and Steam and other regions going live at 12:01 a.m. local time.
- The full release lands May 19 with Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Steam support, day-one Xbox Game Pass access, and Xbox Play Anywhere cross-buy.
- Reviews report “universal acclaim,” with an early Metacritic average near 92 and praise for the dense Japan map, a detailed Tokyo hub, and strong performance with high-quality ray tracing.
- Content depth is a major draw, featuring 500-plus cars, the return of Wristband progression that gates car tiers, and a Discover Japan track that rewards exploration as much as racing.
- A PS5 version is slated for later in 2026, and prelaunch coverage noted leaks and reports of lengthy bans for unauthorized early access, reflecting a tightly staged rollout.