Microsoft just gifted Forza Horizon 6 to the piracy scene on a Steam silver platter. Playground Games hit back with IP bans running 7,973 years—until December 31, 9999—for anyone firing up the leaked 155 GB build. It's a masterclass in closing the barn door after the horses have bolted to every torrent site in existence.

The blunder unfolded today when a full, bootable release version appeared as a public branch on Steam, spotted via SteamDB under app ID 2483190. VX-Underground called it out on X: "Big shout-out to the homies at Microsoft for accidentally publishing Forza Horizon 6 on Steam early... Stinky internet nerds yanked it and now it's all over piracy sites. Very cool, Microsoft." By then, the damage was done; the build, set for preorder early access on May 15 and full release May 19, spread like wildfire despite the quick yank.

Playground didn't mince words. Their official Forza Horizon UK X account posted a cheeky "Happy Forza Week" message, welcoming premium players this week and standard edition next—but saving the eternity roast for early birds: "To those who got a little overexcited... we can't wait to see you on 31st December 9,999!!!" Reddit threads in r/GamingLeaksAndRumours and r/forza lit up with pirates celebrating the windfall and legit fans mocking the self-own.

Pirates get a neutered offline experience—no seasonal events or online multiplayer—while the bans chase hardware changes or VPNs. Legit players hold out a few days for the polished launch. Microsoft's opsec looks like a participation trophy next to Playground's long-game deterrence.