Sony Reconsiders Live-Service Approach for Horizon Franchise
Guerrilla Games reportedly reworks Horizon Hunters Gathering after poor feedback, shifting focus to smaller co-op multiplayer with a story mode.
A recent report from Bloomberg suggests that Sony is reevaluating its approach to live-service gaming, particularly for its Horizon franchise. The news comes as Guerrilla Games, the studio behind the series, is reportedly reworking Horizon Hunters Gathering, a multiplayer game that was announced in February.
The game was initially designed as an online multiplayer experience set in the Horizon universe, but it received a lukewarm response from players. According to Bloomberg, the game's poor feedback during private testing led Guerrilla Games to start working on a reboot in June. The new direction for the game is said to be a smaller co-op multiplayer with a story mode.
| Feature | Original Plan | Reboot | | --- | --- | --- | | Scale | Large-scale online multiplayer | Smaller co-op multiplayer | | Design | Live-service elements | Story mode |
The reported changes to Horizon Hunters Gathering are the latest setback for Sony's attempt to establish a stronger presence in the live-service market. The company has invested heavily in online games, with a goal of releasing over a dozen live-service titles during the PS5 generation. However, several of these projects have been canceled, delayed, or significantly reworked.
Sony has reportedly canceled live-service projects based on major franchises, including The Last of Us. The company has also shut down Firewalk Studios following the commercial failure of Concord, and other PlayStation teams have faced restructuring and layoffs.
The situation is particularly notable for Guerrilla Games, which built the Horizon franchise around large-scale single-player adventures. The studio's next single-player Horizon game is reportedly still in the planning stages and years away from release.
The reported Horizon reboot suggests that Sony is becoming increasingly willing to reconsider how its biggest single-player franchises are being adapted for multiplayer. The game remains in development, but its reported December milestone could prove crucial in determining its future.
If the reboot fails to convince Sony's executives, the project could face the same fate as several other live-service experiments that have already disappeared from PlayStation's plans. The situation highlights the challenges that Sony faces in establishing a strong presence in the live-service market, and the need for the company to reassess its approach to online gaming.
The reported changes to Horizon Hunters Gathering are a significant development in the world of live-service gaming, and they will be closely watched by fans of the Horizon franchise and the gaming industry as a whole.
