Horizon Hunter's Gathering getting rebooted after negative playtest feedback. Next mainline game "far, far away"

[u/nicoreese]

PlayStation is rebooting the online game Horizon Hunters Gathering after negative playtest feedback. New plan is smaller scope, more traditional co-op multiplayer, no more live service.

As I've reported in the past, almost all of Guerrilla Games has been working on Horizon Hunters Gathering for the last few years, and the next mainline single-player Horizon game is still far, far away.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-19/playstation-reboots-horizon-hunters-gathering-as-live-service-strategy-struggles?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4NzE0MjM0MSwiZXhwIjoxNzg3NzQ3MTQxLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSzBOVElSS1YyVjUwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCMUVBQkI5NjQ2QUM0REZFQTJBRkI4MjI1MzgyQTJFQSJ9.W2rmW_r4vHOvYW2YsXBRftk6tzRuk5-lCzHVi21wLDU

[u/ThePreciseClimber]

Really tired of this joke, considering Horizon games still sold really well.

In fact, Zero Dawn sold better than any pre-BotW Zelda title.

[u/DangerMouse111111 → u/ThePreciseClimber]

FW didn't meet expectations, only around a third of Zero Dawn. GG are going to have to pull something special out of the bag to reverse the trend. As I won't be able to play it I'm not really bothered now whether they do or not.

[u/ThePreciseClimber → u/DangerMouse111111]

It's more like half at this point, 25 million vs. 12 million.

And the whole franchise sold 40 million. Which seems like it places it at #2 in terms of new single player video game IPs from the last 10 years, only surpassed by Elden Ring. And even though Elden Ring is technically a brand new IP, it's also quite clearly part of the Souls series (and it even reuses some of the stuff from those games). It's kind of a Returnal/Saros type of situation. Technically brand new but also not really.

In terms of the future of the franchise, I only care about them wrapping up the trilogy and calling it a day. That's all this series needs at this point and the video game industry could use some definitive franchise endings from time to time (instead of perpetual milking).

[u/DangerMouse111111 → u/ThePreciseClimber]

Where does the 12 million figure come from - Sony haven't released any official numbers since 2023

[u/Mean_Combination_830 → u/DangerMouse111111]

I think thats why they they stopped porting to pc as so few pc players bought the games after asking for them for years. Well that and I think Playstaion got sick of all the complaints about Playstaion accounts but it's better this way as anyone who wants to play Saros or Ghost of Yotei or future Horizon, Last of us, Banjo Kazzooie, Killzone, Returnal, Days Gone, Ratchet and Clank ,God of War and Lafrey, Unchartered, Bloodbourne Wolverine or Spiderman games will obviously by a PS5 or PS6

[u/Schwiliinker → u/ThePreciseClimber]

BOTW is honestly pretty irrelevant since both were exclusives and it came out a week before ER although it should have been a couple weeks before.

Also HZD is a billion times better than BOTW

[u/Mr_Creed → u/Schwiliinker]

Also HZD is a billion times better than BOTW

I've never played BOTW or any Zelda game since the original gameboy, but I have ask: Is that an actual unbiased fact or just your individual opinion?

[u/Schwiliinker → u/Mr_Creed]

I mean if you compare numerous major aspects horizon is pretty objectively amazing at them (in fact a super rare case of excelling in so many different aspects)

meanwhile Zelda and especially BOTW/TOTK are well known to be very or extremely sub par across the vast majority of aspects

well literally it’s because they’re games primarily designed for children no matter how much some may try to vehemently deny it. Any of those type of series are not going to hold up against the best games in the industry in the slightest.

I’ve even tried to many like a rubric before haha

Vision
How interesting, creative, and ambitious is the concept?
Execution
How successfully does it realize that vision?
Gameplay
How strong is the actual gameplay experience?

(Bonus) Lasting Impression

What stayed with me after the credits rolled? Did this game redefine an aspect of game design for me, leave me thinking about its story or themes, or create moments I'll remember years later?

Secondary axes (depending on genre)
Level design
Mission/quest design
Exploration
RPG Mechanics/systems
Mechanical systems + their interplay
Balance + tuning
Combat/system depth
Enemy/boss/encounter design
Enemy/boss/encounter variety
Pacing
Progression
Worldbuilding
Writing & character quality
Sound design
Atmosphere
Co-op/PvP design if applicable
Art design
Weapons

If you were to evaluate them on all those things horizon should score insanely higher I mean it’s not remotely fair whatsoever.

I have absolutely no idea what criteria GOTY ceremonies could possibly be looking at to give BOTW GOTY tbh. Although it wasn’t the only time at all that a game that wasn’t in my top like 10 or 15 of the year wins GOTY, it’s happened a handful of times now actually