Horizon Hunters Gathering Reportedly Ditches Live Service Roots After Playtest Feedback
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Guerrilla Games is reportedly stripping the live service elements from Horizon Hunters Gathering and shrinking its scope into a co-op game following poor playtest feedback.
Sony and developer Guerrilla Games are drastically changing course with Horizon Hunters Gathering. According to a recent Bloomberg report by Jason Schreier, the upcoming multiplayer project has been quietly overhauled to remove its live service mechanics following lukewarm responses from early private playtests. Sources familiar with the studio point to a pivot away from endless seasonal monetization and toward a more traditional, smaller scale co-op experience with a dedicated story mode.
This shift highlights the ongoing hurdles PlayStation faces as it tries to carve out space in the live service market. Guerrilla reportedly has until December to convince executives that the newly focused direction is worth seeing through, with several team members already reassigned to other studio initiatives. It is a familiar story for a publisher that has seen high profile multiplayer efforts stumble, ranging from the rapid offline fate of Concord to the high profile cancellations at Naughty Dog and Bluepoint Games.
For players, this pivot might actually be good news. The gaming community has grown visibly fatigued by relentless battle passes and live service mandates tacked onto beloved single player franchises. Trimming the scope to focus on cooperative play and a narrative core could give this spin off the distinct identity it needs to succeed in a crowded ecosystem.
Tags: Horizon Hunters Gathering, Guerrilla Games, PlayStation, Live Service, Gaming News
Original article: Eurogamer