FH6 Japan: Should Forza Use JDM Names (Fairlady Z instead of 370Z)?

Forza Horizon Forza Horizon 6 FH6 Discussion
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This is a fascinating topic that becomes crucial now that we are heading to Japan.

The question is: Does it make sense for the Forza series to convert all Japanese cars, currently labeled for foreign markets (e.g., Nissan 370Z), to their original Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) names (e.g., Nissan Fairlady Z34)?

The Argument for JDM Names (Fairlady, 180SX, ALTEZZA)
For a Forza Horizon game set in Japan, using JDM names offers a huge boost to authenticity and immersion:

Immersive Setting: Using the local names like “Fairlady Z” or referencing specific chassis codes (like BCNR33 or JZA80) makes the game feel more targeted at the core JDM enthusiast, who will be the most excited about this location.

Cultural Respect: It’s a nod to the local culture where these names are used every day.

Accuracy: In many cases, the original JDM versions often have slight differences in engines, trims, or features compared to their export counterparts. Using the correct name reflects an attention to detail.

The Argument for Global Names (370Z, RX-7)
There are valid reasons why the developers might stick to global branding:

Global Recognizability: A global name like “Nissan 370Z” is instantly recognizable to millions of players worldwide, many of whom may not be deeply familiar with JDM culture. Consistency helps accessibility.

Licensing Consistency: Licensing deals are often struck with the global brand name. Changing the naming convention could complicate partnerships with manufacturers like Nissan, Mazda, or Toyota, who want their global brands promoted.

Forza Consistency: The series has always used mostly global names (with some exceptions like the Fairlady Z in older titles). Changing this now could break established conventions for existing models.

What do you think? Should Turn 10/Playground Games prioritize authenticity and use the JDM names exclusively for the Japanese setting, or should they stick to the globally recognized export names for brand consistency?

Please note that in this case the cars will have right-hand drive and a speedometer in kilometers per hour.

Let’s discuss!

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They should stick to globally recognized names as they did before like in previous so new players that are foreigners or regular americans like myself won’t get confused.

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I don’t think it’d cause as much confusion as you think it would. The only players who really pay attention to the cars are car enthusiasts, and they likely already know that a Toyota Altezza and Lexus IS 300 are one in the same but name. More casual players aren’t going to care, and depending on their ages, some aren’t even going to know the cars by either name.

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I know im a car enthusiasts also I think could the developers for a different change using original names for the cars like mazda 3 goes by axela for example which was released globally just went by a different name in north america.

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Totally depends on the car they can get to model

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I believe all cars should conform to the country they are made in, and Japan should be no different. The LHD Fairlady Z and the RHD 370Z are unnatural.
In my opinion, there is nothing more unnatural than LHD Japanese cars. I would say that they are the worst part of Forza.

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The short, boring answer is that the car manufacturers get to set the terms for how their vehicles are represented in the game, so whatever they say goes.

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If you are wondering whether you should prioritize the Fairlady Z or the 370Z, I would answer without hesitation that you should prioritize the Fairlady Z. This is because Nissan is a Japanese car manufacturer.
Japan is not a vassal state of the United States, so it is natural that JDM should be prioritized.

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The 323 GTR should be called the Familia GTR from Forza Horizon 6-onwards, because it has the Familia badging on it.

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The amount of true JDM cars in FH6 will show whether the developers are genuinely committed to recreating Japan. I really hope they won’t make the mistake of licensing only North American–spec Japanese cars instead of proper JDM models.

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Only if they are actually JDM spec which the 370Z is not.

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Because Spanish people.

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For me I’d say it’s entirely dependent on the model that is scanned. If the in-game model is a JDM car, then it should be presented with it’s JDM name, if it’s a UK market car, then it should be called what it was branded in the UK, and so on. I’d rather authenticity to the exact model we’re driving, rather than a localisation just based on where the game is set. In the UK we see a lot of JDM imports, as I’m sure happens everywhere else too. I think most car enthusiasts are quite used to similar models being branded differently based on market and wouldn’t be all that confused by it.

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Japanese cars should be called by there names. And should be RHD

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Most Japanese cars that have been featured in Forza since Motorsport 1 and still use the same models initially debuted as USDM spec cars. While select few also had JDM versions in that game, the 3D model usually shared everything with the USDM one aside from the interior, so it’s safe to say that the likes of the Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 or the Toyota Supra A80 are still USDM models underneath. This must be fixed for FH6, it’s been 21 years!

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They tend to use the name of whatever version of the car they modeled. For example: The Infiniti G35 was labeled the Skyline 350GT in FM1, same with the Mazda 3, it was the Familia or Axela, I don’t remember which.

So if they modeled a USDM car, they will use the USDM name along with it.

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I wonder the odds of them having JDM names on more Datsuns and having them in barn finds.

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Yes, that’s right. As someone who lives in Japan, I think that since this story is set in Japan, everything should be Japanese-spec. However, for cars that aren’t sold in Japan, I think it’s fine to keep them left-hand drive and use their original names.

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Not very high considering Datsun has a whole two cars within the series

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