The first closed beta for Horizon Hunters Gathering, a tactical co-op multiplayer game, is scheduled for February 27 to March 1 on PS5 and PC. This test overlaps with Bungie's Marathon open server slam from February 26 to March 2. Both events are Sony-backed, highlighting simultaneous testing for live-service titles.
Horizon Hunters Gathering, a live-service spin-off from the Horizon series developed by Guerrilla Games, is set to host its inaugural closed beta test this weekend. Announced via emails to selected participants on February 24, the beta runs from February 27 to March 1 and is accessible on PlayStation 5 and Steam for those enrolled in the PlayStation Beta Program. Testing sessions are timed from 7:00pm to 10:00pm CET in Europe and 4:00pm to 7:00pm PST in North America, with no other regions included at this stage.
The beta features three playable characters—Axle, Rem, and Sun—along with two modes: Machine Incursion and Cauldron Descent. All gameplay occurs on the Colorado Springs map, and players can access the Gathering social space as well as a customizable campsite, indicating solid progress in development.
Simultaneously, Sony-owned Bungie is conducting a server slam for its extraction shooter Marathon, open to all players on Xbox, PS5, and PC from February 26 to March 2. This precedes Marathon's launch on March 5. The overlap between the limited Horizon Hunters Gathering beta and the free Marathon event has drawn attention, as both are upcoming Sony live-service games with potentially distinct audiences.
Sources note the timing as coincidental but awkward, given the shared publisher. No further details on participant numbers for the Horizon test were provided, emphasizing its closed nature compared to Marathon's open access.
