In the wake of alleged “mass bans” affecting Forza Horizon 6 players, the game’s official Code of Conduct underwent an update on September 24. The revision specifically expands on the rules concerning inappropriate user-generated content (UGC), providing clearer details about Forza’s enforcement protocols. The updated policy clarifies that bans are overseen by human moderators and are not influenced by the volume of reports received, countering rumors that recent bans were triggered by coordinated efforts to target creators of “itasha” (vehicles adorned with anime, manga, and video game characters).
Approximately two months prior, our Japanese sister publication reported that many prominent itasha creators had removed their designs and ceased uploading new ones, suggesting they had been banned from sharing content in Forza Horizon 6. The issue extended beyond itasha, as designs from car parts manufacturers were also found to be taken down, fueling speculation that creations were being automatically purged based on report counts. While unconfirmed, some fans suspected that a deliberate “reporting campaign” was behind the widespread removal of player-generated content across multiple Forza titles.
Lately, players throughout Japan have been raising concerns about what appears to be a fresh “banning wave” targeting not only itasha creators but also those who photograph and share these designs in-game. Reports have also surfaced of players facing bans for possessing suggestive work-in-progress designs that were never uploaded.
Previously, no official clarification existed regarding the relationship between report numbers and player bans. However, the recently revised Code of Conduct now addresses this concern directly.
As outlined in the section on inappropriate UGC, content flagged by the in-game reporting system is placed in a review queue managed by human moderators. The quantity of reports on a specific item does not impact its queue position or priority. Moderators assess each case based on the severity of the content and the creator’s history of violations. First-time offenders receive a warning, whereas repeat offenders face progressively longer suspensions.
Permanent bans are only imposed without prior warnings if the content contains child sexual exploitation, explicit sexual material, full nudity, or other violations listed under Forza’s Zero Tolerance Policy (which encompasses hate speech, credible violent threats, child sexual abuse imagery, terrorism-related content, and more). Forza has also noted that its content evaluation criteria will continue to evolve, with corresponding updates to the code of conduct.
Even with these violation procedures now public, confusion persists among players regarding why certain itasha designs are deemed违规 under the code of conduct. The updated policy still relies on broad criteria, prompting fans to request more detailed guidelines to avoid accidental bans while creating and sharing content.
Forza Horizon 6 is available on Windows (Steam/Microsoft Store) and Xbox Series X|S. A PlayStation 5 version is scheduled for release later this year.