Guerrilla Games announced on September 30, 2024, that their next major project is Horizon Online. The title is made as a live service project, which is a big shift from the mainly single-player games that the Horizon franchise has been known for. The game will be regularly provided with content updates and new material, thus venturing into an entirely new territory that is different from the one fans of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West are used to.
No Horizon 3 Anytime Soon
As for the people out there who are craving the next chapter of the story of Aloy, the news may sound really disheartening. It has been reported that Horizon 3 remains in the beginning phase of its development cycle, so it might take quite some time before the storyline is played again by the fans. Currently, the main priority of Guerrilla Games pertains to Horizon Online development.
But why did it have to be called Horizon Online?
Well, Guerrilla Games is reportedly investing heavily in Horizon Online, a game intended to include co-op multiplayer modes. A clear shift from the previous titles in the Horizon franchise, which used to involve one main protagonist and a storyline. According to the developers, this is done in an effort to bring something new inside the Horizon franchise for many more players. Unlike the previous Horizon games, which focused solely on the story of Aloy, Horizon Online will introduce a new mode that lets players go on a mission together. The shift in scope helps allow players to roam the world freely with their friends and other players, a social interaction that was missing in the series before.
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What exactly is to be expected from Horizon Online?
One of the significant changes that come into place with Horizon Online will be the introduction of a new cast of characters. But this won’t be the only facially new game; it will also sport a more stylized visual aesthetic, moving away from the more realistic graphical feel of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West. For some fans, this change in design feels somewhat hit-or-miss. While some players seem pretty stoked about this new cooperative and stylized direction, others are cautious. But changes are quite different from what everyone loved about their first games, and only time will tell if this gamble pays off.
Development and Strategy
For the development of Horizon Online, Guerrilla Games is working with NCSoft, a studio that certainly knows its way around online multiplayer games. This hopes for a speedy development process, leveraging NCSoft’s experience in creating and nurturing live service titles. Ambitious though these plans are, some industry watchers have their doubts: there’s just one question, really. Is anybody interested in an online Horizon game? Success with this project will, of course, lie with retaining a competitive player base, as it’s a very difficult feat to do, especially within one of the most highly contested live service markets.
Sony’s Live Service Push
Sony is heavily pushing for more live-service games as part of its strategy to diversify its gaming portfolio. Horizon Online stands out from the bevy of canceled live service projects, underlining Sony’s commitment to the Horizon franchise. Success with this project might play a significant role in shaping how future live service titles will take place within the company.
What’s Next for Horizon Online
The competitive live-service genre has seen many games struggle with maintaining active player bases over time. Horizon Online needs to offer an interesting and engaging setting that would somehow make it stand out within the genre. To continue to appeal in the long term, regular updates, interesting content, and a wholesome community are required for the game. Now, keeping gamers engaged is quite a challenge that faces any live service game. For Guerrilla Games to succeed, it needs consistent updates with new features and events that keep the game fresh and exciting. This title’s longevity is therefore very dependent on how it can manage player interest over time.
Horizon 3 – The Future
While Horizon Online stays the bigger discussion topic, that does not mean that Horizon 3 is far from the horizon-only pun intended. By the time it is released, fans should look forward to continuing Aloy’s story into the next chapter. Since the game is still in its early stages of development, information is concrete, and it could be a little while longer before players get to explore the next chapter of her journey.
Conclusion: A Bold New Direction
Horizon Online is, without a doubt, a new bold, and ambitious direction being taken by Guerrilla Games. Indeed, the game introduces cooperative multiplayer gameplay to the stalwart Horizon series with a stylized, visually appealing approach. Fan reception has been mixed, and the results of this project could very well point to the future of the series and Sony’s live service strategy.
The fans will have to patiently wait for updates about Horizon 3 for now, as the development team has shifted gear and put all its effort into making Horizon Online a full-fledged success. The gamble being done will time tell if it would pay off, but one thing is straightforward-Guerrilla Games isn’t pulling back from expanding the Horizon universe in exciting new ways.
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