Back in December 2022, it was discovered that Guerlila Games was working on a new online game set in the Horizon universe. The developer acknowledged at the time that they were still creating "epic solo adventures for Aloy," but that an internal team was developing a separate Online Project set in the universe.
The developer added that the online game will feature "a new cast of characters and a unique stylized look." The game will also feature online co-op for friends to "explore the majestic wilds of Horizon together."
Guerilla Games hasn't revealed much about the project since that initial announcement, but now a new report from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier claims that Horizon Online will, in fact, be Guerilla's next big release in the series — not a new single-player adventure.
“Horizon Online is their next product, not whatever the third single-player game looks like,” Schreier said while appearing on the Spawn Wave podcast. “So, that one might be a ways off.”
"A lot of people are working on that," he added of the online game.
The Horizon series is set in a post-apocalyptic world that has been overrun with zoomorphic robots. Players experience this world through the eyes of Aloy, a young huntress.
Horizon Zero Dawn was first released in February 2017, followed by its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, in 2022. Horizon Forbidden West's first expansion, Burning Shores, will be released in April 2025. Sony is also planning to release Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered for PS5 and PC on October 31, 2024.
The two single-player adventures spawned a couple of spin-offs as well. A VR spin-off, Horizon Call of the Mountain, was released in 2023 for the PlayStation VR2 virtual reality headset.
Set to launch this November is LEGO Horizon Adventures. Coming to PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch, LEGO Horizon Adventures follows Aloy on her quest to discover her true destiny.
In a distant future, the land is made of LEGO bricks and incredible dinosaur-like machines roam the Earth. Aloy, the game’s leading hero, is found in a cave as a baby and raised by a grizzled huntsman called Rost, who teaches her the way of the wilds. One day, Aloy embarks on a quest to discover her true destiny. Guided by a thousand-year-old hologram of a scientist called Elisabet, Aloy must confront Helis, the leader of a group of sun worshipers who bow to an Ancient Evil shrouded in mystery. There’s much more in store for Aloy and her friends, as their adventure sends them across the tallest mountains and deepest cauldrons — all beautifully recreated in LEGO elements.
Guerilla Games' Horizon series is now considered one of PlayStation's flagship franchises, so it's no surprise to see Sony going all-in on it. But to see Guerilla Games focus on an online game in the universe while the single-player adventures have proven to be so popular feels like a bit of a gamble.