Guerrilla Games Announces Horizon Hunters Gathering, a Co-Op Spin-Off With a Playtest This Month
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Guerrilla Games has revealed Horizon Hunters Gathering, a 3-player co-op action game for PS5 and PC featuring hero-style characters, a rogue-lite perk system, and a stylized art shift, with a playtest scheduled for later this month.
Sony and Guerrilla Games are expanding the Horizon universe into cooperative territory with the newly announced Horizon Hunters Gathering. Coming to PlayStation 5 and Windows PC with full cross-play and cross-progression support, the upcoming spin-off shifts away from solo adventuring to focus on teams of up to three players fighting the franchise's signature machine dinosaurs. Studio director Jan-Bart Van Beek has reassured fans that single-player mainline entries remain a core focus for the studio, but this new project clearly aims to carve out space in the multiplayer live-service landscape.
The game introduces a noticeable shift in both mechanics and aesthetics. Players will choose from distinct Hunters featuring hero shooter style kits, modifying their capabilities on the fly through a rogue-lite perk system. The visual presentation also leans into a more stylized, vibrant look that departs from the hyper-realistic art direction of Aloy's previous adventures. Confirmed modes include a wave-based survival option and a multi-stage trial format, hinting at a gameplay loop designed for long-term engagement and ongoing content updates after launch.
For players eager to see how this multiplayer pivot feels in practice, a closed playtest is scheduled for later this month on both PS5 and PC. Registrations are currently open via the PlayStation Beta Program, giving the community an early chance to test the combat mechanics and provide feedback directly to the development team. You can read the original coverage over at Polygon.
Horizon Hunters Gathering represents a major gamble for a traditionally single-player franchise, trading sweeping narrative realism for squad-based action and live-service progression. While longtime fans might feel cautious about the stylistic departure, the upcoming playtest will offer the first real indicator of whether this cooperative formula can successfully capture the tactical depth of the Horizon universe.
Tags: Horizon Hunters Gathering, Guerrilla Games, PlayStation 5, PC Gaming, Co-op
Original article: Polygon