Sony and Guerrilla Games have officially pulled back the curtain on the next chapter of the Horizon franchise, announcing Horizon Hunters Gathering, a three-player co-op action game coming to PlayStation 5 and PC. While a formal release window has not yet been set, the developers surprised fans by announcing that a closed playtest is scheduled to begin at the end of February 2026.
The new title marks a significant departure from the photorealistic visuals of Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, opting instead for a stylized, animated look that is very…Marvel Rivals looking, judging by the media shown.
Stylized visuals or not, Guerrilla has confirmed that Horizon Hunters Gathering is canon to the story of the franchise, so expect some callbacks and easter eggs to both Zero Dawn and Forbidden West to some degree.
As Horizon Hunters Gathering brings a new thread, it will also introduce new hunters
The deep dive above shows longtime Horizon protagonist Aloy in a different setting than that of the preceding games: in here, she, alongside her longtime friend Erend, is recruiting a group of warriors — your character among them — of all the tribes known to the Horizon universe.
This because there’s a new threat in town: while Guerrilla Games did not name a specific antagonist, the video shows machines with the well-known purple corruption thingy that plagued both games from the past, bringing the first callback to HEPHAESTUS, the rogue, terraforming part of the AI known as “Gaia” and originally responsible for Aloy’s troubles in the past (we’re trying to thread lightly here as to avoid spoilers, mind you).
Narrative-wise, that’s all we know for now, but the gameplay shows a lot of different mechanics if compared to both Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West: as the game begins, players will choose from an initial roster of six playable hunters representing various tribes, including the Nora, Carja, and Oseram. Now, some of those characters will be from previous games, like Rem (Nora), Sun (Carja), and Axle (Oseram).
As it is common for online, cooperative games like this, each hunter belongs to a specific class — such as Healer, Tank, Support, or Tactician — and utilizes unique weapons and abilities that can be upgraded through a roguelite perk system that refreshes between mission runs.
Despite being online, Horizon Hunters Gathering welcomes solo players
One thing about the online nature of Horizon Hunters Gathering that may have some longtime players concerned is, well, the online nature of Horizon Hunters Gathering. Due to the previous games being exclusively single player, story driven endeavors, an online title under the same brand might seem a bit off.
Fortunately, Guerrilla Games did not gloss over this fact, and the new game, although intended to be a communal experience, will also be welcoming of those who just want to play a good story on their own.
As such, the core gameplay centers on “challenging and replayable hunts” that can be tackled solo with NPC allies or in teams of three. At launch, two primary modes will be available:
- Machine Incursion: A high-intensity mode where players defend against waves of machines emerging from underground gateways, culminating in a boss fight. This mode also features a shrinking “storm” mechanic similar to Fortnite to keep players moving.
- Cauldron Descent: A multi-stage dungeon crawl through underground machine-manufacturing facilities. Players must solve environmental puzzles and battle brutal machines to secure high-tier loot.
Between missions, players congregate at a social hub appropriately named “Hunters Gathering”. Here, players can interact with each other, visit vendors like Petra Forgewoman, and customize their characters or campsites with furniture and decor.
Playtests and Connectivity
Guerrilla is leaning heavily into modern connectivity, confirming that Hunters Gathering will support crossplay and cross-progression between PlayStation 5 and PC.
Fans looking to jump in early can register for the late-February closed playtest through the PlayStation Beta Program. Guerrilla noted that while the game is still early in development, they intend to provide regular updates and additional playtests leading up to the full launch.
This announcement comes as the Horizon universe continues to expand. In addition to this co-op project, Sony is currently collaborating with NCSoft on a mobile-focused MMO titled Horizon Steel Frontiers, and a live-action film adaptation of Horizon Zero Dawn is expected to begin filming soon (not to mention the whole “there’s a game plagiarizing us” thing that is still pending…).
