A Multiplayer Horizon Game Can Expand on the Series' Strengths
A break from Aloy's story means telling new ones in this sci-fi world.
The Horizon series has been one of PlayStation’s premiere first-party franchises since its debut in 2017. Its marriage of high-fidelity presentation and slick gameplay made it the poster child for the single-player experiences the gaming company is now known for.
But rather than follow up directly on the 2022 sequel and its expansion, the Amsterdam-based studio will release a multiplayer game based on the science fiction world, at least according to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier. And while that might be disappointing to fans looking forward to the next chapter in series protagonist Aloy’s ongoing story, there’s a great opportunity to expand on one of the best aspects of the series.
“Horizon Online is their next product, not whatever the third single-player game looks like,” Schreier said on a YouTube podcast The SpawnCast. “So, that one might be a ways off.”
It may be a little while before players get the next chapter in Aloy’s story.
The multiplayer Horizon game will be the latest in Sony’s ongoing push into the live-service market. It is one of at least 10 service games the brand has in development. So far, PlayStation has released two titles in this initiative: the successful co-op shooter Helldivers 2 and the arena shooter Concord. It’s also canceled two projects in Naughty Dog’s troubled The Last of Us multiplayer game and Twisted Metal.
“PlayStation's live service initiative was no joke," Schreier continued. “Everybody was like, ‘It’s live service games all around.’ Horizon is one of the few ones that hasn't been canceled or hasn't come out and flopped the way Concord did. A lot of people are working on that.”
It’s easy to be disillusioned with Sony’s strategy, especially after its last attempt at live multiplayer games, Concord, flopped in a surprisingly short time frame. But a service game set in the Horizon universe does provide a bit more intrigue than the other titles Sony has in the works. While Concord had a complex, fleshed-out universe, getting players to care about that lore through a series of text entries was always going to be an uphill battle.
There are so many factions, locations, and bits of lore for a multiplayer-focused Horizon game to explore.
A multiplayer game set in the world of Horizon, however, has the privilege of being preceded by two well-received games that have sold millions of copies. Players are already acquainted with the tribes, plot, mechanical beasts, and stakes of this setting. There’s a better chance players will feel invested sooner when fighting alongside friends, especially if it follows the example of Concord and Helldivers’ ever-evolving meta-narrative.
Shedding the linear storytelling of the mainline series also gives Guerilla Games a compelling opportunity to expand on the fiction of the Horizon series. As badass as Aloy comes across, her journey in the sequel can feel less interesting than the post-apocalyptic future it’s set in.
Focusing entirely on how the world of Horizon operates, the relationships between the territorial tribes, and more can showcase an entirely new perspective, one that’s less high stakes than what fans are used to with Aloy. A multiplayer game focused on big story beats can also cut out a lot of the storytelling bloat featured in Forbidden West’s main quest.
The upcoming Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster will mark the final single-player game in the series for a while.
There’s plenty of reason to be skeptical of PlayStation’s next live service game. Its track record isn’t exactly stellar. And future titles like Bungie’s Marathon are already showing signs of a troubled development cycle.
But of all of the service games players are getting from Sony in the years ahead, a Horizon multiplayer game has the opportunity to contribute something genuinely worthwhile to the greater franchise. It could be the shot in the arm that this dormant franchise needs between its tentpole single-player releases.
