Horizon MMORPG Officially Revealed, But Console Omission Sparks Community Debate
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
NCSoft and Guerrilla Games have announced Horizon Steel Frontiers, a new MMORPG set in the Horizon universe. While the game features cooperative machine hunting and raid bosses for PC and mobile players, the omission of a PlayStation console release has sparked immediate disappointment among fans of the historically platform-exclusive franchise.
Sony and Guerrilla Games are expanding their flagship machine hunting franchise into new territory. During Korea's G-Star 2025 conference, developer NCSoft officially unveiled Horizon Steel Frontiers, an upcoming MMORPG set within the post-apocalyptic universe. According to reporting by Game Rant, the game drops players into the Deadlands as custom machine hunters. Players will team up to tackle massive raid boss encounters, craft specialized gear, and explore the open world together on mounts. While multiplayer rumors have circled the franchise for years, this specific project is headed by NCSoft rather than serving as the rumored first-party live service game from Guerrilla.
Despite the exciting premise of taking down Thunderjaws and Stormbirds with a full server of allies, the community reaction has been mixed. The core point of friction is platform availability. Horizon Steel Frontiers is currently announced as a cross-platform release for iOS, Android, and PC, with no mention of a PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 4 version. Given that the franchise built its reputation as a premier first-party PlayStation console exclusive, the decision to target mobile and PC first has left many longtime fans feeling alienated.
This reveal highlights a broader shift in how major publishers handle their biggest intellectual properties. Bringing massive console franchises to mobile and PC is standard business strategy for tapping into global player bases, but it often creates friction with core console communities who expect a traditional living room experience. As digital economies, cross-platform play, and mobile-first design become the norm, developers face the delicate task of expanding their audiences without losing the goodwill of the players who built the franchise in the first place.
Tags: Horizon Steel Frontiers, MMORPG, NCSoft, Guerrilla Games, Mobile Gaming
Original article: Game Rant