- Guerrilla Games has announced its new co-operative three player action game Horizon Zero Hunters
- The studio revealed a trailer and two new games modes that will be available to play in the upcoming PS5 and PC playtest
- The game will also have a narrative campaign and will be canon to the Horizon series
Sony and Guerrilla Games have unveiled Horizon Hunters Gathering, a new co-operative action game set in the world of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.
Described as Guerrilla's "new chapter in the Horizon universe", Horizon Hunters Gathering is a cooperative action game developed for PlayStation 5 and PC that lets up to three players team up to protect the world from deadly machines that fans of the Horizon series may be familiar with.
According to game director Arjan Bak, combat in this game is "tactical, reactive, and deeply skill-based" and builds on the "tactical precision" from the Horizon games, while combining team play dynamics.
"With the very first ideas that shaped the world of Horizon, we dreamed of players hunting machines together," Bak said in a PlayStation Blog post. "We started with a small group of Guerrillas – including myself back in the days as Design Director – and began exploring what that could look like. Drawing on our experience from the Killzone multiplayer titles and the momentum of Horizon Zero Dawn, we set out to bring cooperative action into the Horizon franchise.
"Since then, the team and the game have grown tremendously. Throughout its development we’ve done extensive testing, patching, and feedback iteration. One of my favorite moments was our first in-studio playtest with the entire team: a special milestone where the vision and hard work from every discipline finally came together in a playable form. It’s always nerve-wracking to share early builds, but moments like that test, as well as today’s announcement, make it worthwhile.
Alongside the action-packed trailer, which showcased a colorful world inspired by the Horizon games and a unique roster of hunters to play as, Guerrilla also revealed two game modes: Machine Incursion and Cauldron Descent.
Machine Incursion is a "high-intensity" mission-based mode where players will need to battle waves of machines led by a boss.
Cauldron Descent is a longer, multi-stage trial featuring ever-changing rooms that "push Hunters to their limits", offering challenges from brutal machine encounters to hidden doors that offer big rewards.
Both modes will be available to play in the upcoming playtest through the PlayStation Beta Program on PS5 and PC, but there's no release date for the game just yet.
The game may feature co-op game modes, but it also features a narrative campaign that Guerrilla isn't ready to dive into at this time.
As mentioned, the game will have a roster of skilled Hunters, each with distinct melee or ranged playstyles and weapons, with select roles offering a rogue-lite perk system to craft different playstyles.
Players will also be able to return to the Hunters Gathering social hub between missions to prepare, connect with others, and customize their Hunters before heading back out in the world.
These Hunters will also have their own motivations and personal struggles, which Bak says "comes together in new stories we want to tell in the world of Horizon."
Bak also confirmed that this story that unfolds will be "fully canon" to the Horizon series and "doesn't stop at launch".
"On a personal note, this is both an exciting and daunting step for us," Bak added. "Multiplayer games have always been part of our studio’s DNA, and it’s where I began my own career.
"Bringing a co-op hunting experience into the Horizon universe is something we’ve envisioned for a long time, and we’re approaching it with care, ambition, and passion. I hope the coming months give you a sense of the scale and complexity of what we’ve been building – or better yet, let you experience it yourself in a playtest."
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