Sony reboots Horizon multiplayer spinoff after poor playtest feedback
Sony is reportedly hitting the reset button on its live-service Horizon game. According to a report by Bloomberg, Guerrilla Games has been working to reboot Horizon Hunters Gathering since June following negative feedback from closed playtests.
The multiplayer spinoff was originally announced in February as a three-player co-op game with a cartoony, vibrant art style distinct from the mainline Horizon series. Per IGN, it featured modes like Machine Incursion, a wave-based boss rush, and Cauldron Descent, a multi-stage trial. It was described as a "tactical co-op action game" set in the Horizon universe.
Now, the plan is to strip out the live-service elements entirely. Bloomberg reports the goal is to turn it into "a traditional cooperative multiplayer game with a story mode and a far smaller scope." It is unclear how much of the originally announced content will survive the overhaul.
There's a tight deadline on this pivot. VGC notes staff were told they have until December to impress PlayStation executives with the next milestone to keep development alive. Some developers on the project are being moved to a different Guerrilla title with a year-end evaluation, per Bloomberg.
The reboot is another stumble for Sony's live-service ambitions. While Helldivers 2 has been a massive success, the company has faced high-profile cancellations like The Last of Us multiplayer and the disastrous launch and shutdown of Concord.
Meanwhile, GameSpot reports a "tiny team" at Guerrilla is plotting the next mainline, single-player Horizon game, but it is still "years away" from release.
