Guerrilla's Next Big Thing: Horizon Live Service Takes the Spotlight
The next big project from Guerrilla Games, the developers behind Horizon, is reportedly Horizon Online, a live service game. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, the much-anticipated Horizon 3 might not be coming anytime soon.
What's Next for Guerrilla Games?
Jason Schreier shared on Spawncast that Guerrilla Games is currently focused on Horizon Online. He mentioned that the promised Horizon 3 "might not arrive for a long time." This raises questions about Guerrilla's strategy and whether fans are excited about an online version of Horizon.
Schreier also pointed out that Guerrilla has other projects in the pipeline, like a remaster and a Lego game. He questioned what would happen if these games don't perform well. Will Horizon Online still move forward?
Sony's Live Service Journey
Sony has had mixed results with its live service games. Helldivers 2 was a huge success, becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game. However, Concord, a hero shooter, flopped badly.
The live service market is tough, dominated by older games that still capture players' attention and money. New entries find it hard to make a mark. Before Concord, another big failure was Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which cost Warner Bros. $200 million.
Sony's Adjustments
Due to these challenges, Sony has scaled back its live service ambitions. Sony's president, Hiroki Totoki, announced a review of their 12 planned PlayStation Live games, committing to launch only six by the end of the 2025 fiscal year. In December 2023, Naughty Dog canceled The Last of Us Online.
In February, Sony announced significant layoffs, affecting around 900 employees across various studios, including Guerrilla, Naughty Dog, and Insomniac. Some games in development were also canceled. In July, Bungie, owned by Sony, faced cuts while working on their PvP shooter, Marathon.
Guerrilla Games' Ongoing Efforts
Despite the upheavals at Sony, Guerrilla Games is still working on Horizon Online. Studio director Jan Bart van Beek mentioned that the multiplayer game represents a significant shift for the studio, almost as big as the first Horizon game.
Van Beek added that creating a multiplayer experience is a new challenge for Guerrilla.
Future Horizon Projects
Guerrilla confirmed the multiplayer game in December 2022, revealing it would feature a new cast of characters and a different art style.
A full sequel to Horizon: Forbidden West is also in development. The "next adventure of Aloy" was mentioned in April. This sequel will join the first two games and the PlayStation VR2 spin-off, Horizon: Call of the Mountain.
However, don't expect Horizon 3 anytime soon. Schreier emphasized that Horizon Online is the next project, not the third solo game.
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