Sony has finally announced Guerrilla's multiplayer live-service game set in the Horizon universe, titled Horizon Hunters Gathering. It will be released on PlayStation 5 and PC.
In late February, a 'limited' closed beta will begin, which players can sign up for through the PlayStation Beta Program. Cross-platform play and shared progression are expected. A specific release date has not yet been announced, nor has information on whether the game will be free-to-play or paid. The debut gameplay trailer is presented below.
As seen in the trailer and screenshots, Horizon Hunters Gathering features a cartoonish art style, contrasting with the photorealistic graphics of the main Horizon series. Clearly, Sony and Guerrilla aim to create a lighter and more fun experience with Hunters Gathering, while Zero Dawn and Forbidden West offer serious storytelling. There's also a strong influence from Monster Hunter.
In a PlayStation Blog post, Game Director Arian Bak stated that in Horizon Hunters Gathering, you battle deadly machines in a tactical co-op action game for three players and adapt your Hunter for challenging missions.
"The combat is tactical, reactive, and deeply skill-based, evolving the tactical precision of Horizon games but accounting for team dynamics," said Bak. "The core of Horizon Hunters Gathering will be challenging and replayable hunts."
Bak confirmed two game modes: Machine Incursion, described as a 'high-intensity mission' where waves of machines emerge from underground portals led by a 'formidable boss'; and Cauldron Descent — a longer, multi-stage trial where 'constantly changing rooms test Hunters' resilience, from brutal machine encounters to hidden doors promising power and rewards for teams ready to open them.' Both modes will be available in the upcoming closed beta.
The game will feature a roster of Hunters to choose from, each with a unique melee or ranged combat style and weapons. Bak also mentioned a roguelite perk system for creating desired builds. Regarding the story, there's a narrative campaign 'that will introduce new mysteries, characters, and threats, but we're keeping it under wraps for now,' said Bak. "We can only say that Hunters Gathering is fully canonical, and its story won't end with the release!"
The social hub is the heart of the game: Hunters Gathering. It's a 'vibrant social space where players can socialize, prepare, and celebrate victories together. Here, you can customize Hunters, visit merchants, upgrade gear, and assemble a team for the next adventure.'
Horizon Hunters Gathering isn't the only multiplayer game in the Horizon universe. Interestingly, NCSoft and Sony are working on Horizon Steel Frontiers — a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed for mobile devices but also available on PC. It's reported that NCSoft is closely collaborating with Guerrilla on world-building, but it's primarily an NCSoft game. Meanwhile, Horizon 3, as of late 2024, was described as 'not anytime soon.' Sony is said to be planning to start filming its Horizon Zero Dawn movie this year, with a release sometime in 2027.
