For as iconic as the PlayStation brand is, it hasn't really ever had a flagship first-person shooter franchise on the level of Xbox's Halo. The closest is probably the Killzone franchise.
Developed by Guerrilla Games, the first Killzone game was released for PlayStation 2 in 2004. There have since been a total of six games in the main series with the latest being Killzone: Shadow Fall, a launch title for the PlayStation 4 released in November 2013.
With 10-plus years since the last Killzone game, many believe that it's time for Sony to bring back the franchise. But it sounds like Guerrilla Games has no plans to revive the series anytime soon.
In a recent interview, Guerrilla Games art director Roy Postma addressed the studio's transition from Killzone to Horizon, which would ultimately be the studio's first intellectual property since 2004 's Killzone.
"We were done with it [Killzone] as a team," says Postma. "As a studio, we needed to refresh the palette. It was, by choice, the opposite of Killzone. I think the themes that this story and the characters represent are relatable for all ages and people, like having a found family of friends and finding your place in the world."
Guerrilla Games released Horizon Zero Dawn for PlayStation in 2017, four years after Killzone Shadow Fall. The action-adventure role-playing game would go on to become a critical and commercial hit for Sony, sparking an entirely new flagship franchise for the gaming brand. Its success led to a sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, in 2022, followed by a VR spin-off, Horizon Call of the Mountain, in 2023.
This year, fans can look forward to a new way to experience the world of Horizon. Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo have worked together with The LEGO Group to develop LEGO Horizon Adventures. The game basically retells the story of Horizon Zero Dawn but in a more upbeat and family-friendly way, focusing less on the apocalyptic story elements and more on the environmental messages and Aloy's connection with her family and friends.
We don't know exactly what Guerrilla Games will be working on next after LEGO Horizon Adventures is released. It doesn't sound like Killzone is completely done forever; but, it does sound like the the studio is collectively still not ready to return to to it yet.
Do you want to see Sony release another Killzone game on PlayStation, or are you happy with the continued focus on the Horizon franchise?