In the seven years sinceHorizon Zero Dawnwas first released, theHorizonseries has quickly become one of PlayStation’s premiere franchises alongside console exclusive greats likeGod of WarandRatchet & Clank,thanks to its widespread critical and financial success. While a third mainline entry in theHorizonseries was all but confirmed withHorizon Forbidden West’s cliffhanger ending, Sony is rumored to expand theHorizonfranchise exponentially with five more upcoming projects. These include:
Horizon’s Many Rumored Projects Could Add Up to a Bright Future
Horizon 3 and a Zero Dawn Remaster
Forbidden West’s main campaign ended with the Far Zenith mostly destroyed, HEPHAESTUS loose once more, and the rogue AI Nemesis on its way to Earth from Sirius to destroy all life once more. Its expansion, Burning Shores, later revealed the Far Zenith survivor Walter Londra planned to use 21st Century weapons systems to destroy Nemesis; Sylens plans to investigate these systems to determine if they’re still operational.This is the setup forHorizon 3,which reportedly began development around April 2023, as Guerrilla Games wrote in a letter for former Studio Director Angie Smets, “…the world ofHorizonwith Aloy’s next adventure and our exciting online project.”
In October 2022, rumors began appearing of a PS5 remaster forHorizon Zero Dawn. This remaster would reportedly featureForbidden Westquality visuals, new character models, accessibility options, and various other improvements to gameplay. This rumor was seemingly supported by theremoval ofHorizon Zero Dawn Complete Editionfrom PlayStation Plusin May 2024. The remaster may function similarly to the PS5 remake ofThe Last of Us Part 1released that same year, but Guerrilla’s remake strategies could greatly differ from Naughty Dog’s. No release dates for either of these projects have been officially released.
Horizon’s Multiplayer and MMO Games
In contrast, it’s confirmed that Guerrilla is working on an online multiplayer game set in theHorizonuniverse. The developer has long beeninterested in a multiplayerHorizonas far back asZero Dawn’s developmentwith a proposed two-player co-op option. This concept was scrapped due to how it would have limited the game’s other aspects. However, by late 2022, Guerrilla officially announced the development of a multiplayer-focusedHorizontitle. This game will feature a whole new cast of characters and a unique art style compared to the otherHorizongames.
While Guerrilla’s multiplayer game is still in active development, rumors of a second multiplayerHorizongame have appeared. In late 2022, it was reported thatGuild WarsdeveloperNCSoft was working on aHorizonMMORPG codenamed “Project H.”Further 2023 rumors suggested the game may skip the PlayStation and be released exclusively on PC and mobile platforms. NCSoft has not confirmed this development, but this MMORPG may be part of Sony’s plan to release 10 live service games by March 2026. It’s suspected to be titledHorizon Land of Salvation.
All of these rumored and confirmed projects show the infinite possibilities of the world ofHorizonbeyond Aloy’s story.
A Netflix Horizon Adaptation and a LEGO Game
Horizonwill go beyond gaming with an upcoming Netflix show adaptation. In May 2022, an investor brief revealed that Sony will work withNetflix to produce aHorizonseries alongside an AmazonGod of Waradaption. Little is currently known about the series, butUmbrella Academydirector Steve Blackman is slated to adaptZero Dawnfor the series’ main inspiration. Writing for theHorizonshow is currently underway.
Finally, insider sources divulged a rumored LEGO adaption of presumably both mainlineHorizongames earlier this month calledLEGO Horizon Adventures. It’s unknown who will develop this project or how the game will play, but it will reportedly feature “realistic graphics.” Furtherdetails aboutLEGO Horizon Adventuresare rumoredto appear during an upcoming PlayStation Showcase.
Guerrilla Games, LEGO, and Sony have already collaborated before with the official release of an official 1,222-piece LEGO set of the colossal Tallneck in May 2022.
Horizon’s Potential Multimedia Future
All of these rumored and confirmed projects show the infinite possibilities of the world ofHorizonbeyond Aloy’s story. The rumored multiplayer games will bringHorizonto a whole new audience who may have never been interested in single player games before. Likewise,LEGO Horizon AdventuresandtheHorizon Zero Dawnremastermay bring in new players into the series who were too young to play the original releases in their time.
The Netflix adaptation may not be as essential as spin-off games, but if it’s anything like the recentFalloutorThe Last of Usshows, it could make thousands of newHorizonfans and ensure Aloy’s story is remembered as one of gaming’s best. While fans might see Aloy’s story come to a climatic end inHorizon 3, the wonderful environments, cultures, and machines ofHorizoncan continue telling enthralling stories for years to come.
Horizon Forbidden West
WHERE TO PLAY
Join Aloy as she braves a majestic but dangerous new frontier that holds mysterious new threats. This Complete Edition allows you to enjoy the critically acclaimed Horizon Forbidden West on PC in its entirety with bonus content, including the Burning Shores story expansion that picks up after the main game.Explore distant lands, fight bigger and more awe-inspiring machines, and encounter astonishing new tribes as you return to the far-future, post-apocalyptic world of Horizon.The land is dying. Vicious storms and an unstoppable blight ravage the scattered remnants of humanity while fearsome new machines prowl their borders, and life on Earth is hurtling toward another extinction.It’s up to Aloy to uncover the secrets behind these threats and restore order and balance to the world. Along the way, she must reunite with old friends, forge alliances with warring new factions and unravel the legacy of the ancient past.
