NCSoft has announced Horizon Steel Frontiers, a new MMO set in the Horizon universe, launching on PC and mobile without a PlayStation version. The developer expressed interest in a PS5 release but noted it's not their sole decision, pointing to potential Sony involvement. This comes alongside revelations that Guerrilla Games has always envisioned the franchise as multiplayer and is developing its own separate project.
Announcement Overview
Horizon Steel Frontiers, a 'fierce survival adventure' MMO developed by NCSoft in collaboration with Guerrilla Games, was revealed on November 13, 2025. Players take on the role of machine hunters in the Deathlands region, featuring large-scale raids and an advanced combat system. The game is slated for PC and mobile platforms, with no release date announced yet. AI was used extensively in its development process.
Platform Exclusion and Developer Comments
Executive producer Lee Song addressed the absence of a PlayStation release in an interview with 4Gamer, stating it was the 'most common reaction' to the announcement. 'We would like to do it,' Song said, 'but it is not something we can decide on our own, so we would like to proceed with discussions.' Speculation suggests Sony may be the deciding factor, as NCSoft has 'no reason' to exclude the platform. Eurogamer has sought comment from Sony.
The Horizon franchise, known for single-player titles like Horizon Zero Dawn, has sold over 38 million copies across PlayStation and PC.
Guerrilla's Multiplayer Vision
Guerrilla Games studio head Jan-Bart van Beek celebrated the announcement on social media, revealing, 'From the first moment we imagined Horizon, we always thought about it as a multiplayer game.' He described last year's Lego Horizon Adventures as the studio's 'first small step' into multiplayer, with Steel Frontiers as a 'bigger one,' and hinted at 'much more to come.'
Journalist Jason Schreier clarified on BlueSky that Steel Frontiers, aimed at Asian markets, differs from Guerrilla's in-house multiplayer Horizon project, which is the studio's 'next big project.'