Guerrilla reportedly reworks Horizon Hunters Gathering after poor playtest feedback
Guerrilla is reportedly reworking Horizon Hunters Gathering after poor playtest feedback, shifting the game towards traditional co-op.
Sony’s Horizon multiplayer project, Horizon Hunters Gathering, is reportedly undergoing major changes following negative feedback from closed playtests held earlier this year. Developer Guerrilla Games is reportedly reducing the game’s live-service ambitions and shifting its design toward a more traditional co-operative experience with a dedicated story mode.
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According to a report from Bloomberg, Guerrilla has chosen to rework the project rather than cancel it outright. The studio has reportedly given the development team until the end of the year to demonstrate enough progress to satisfy Sony executives. The situation could determine whether the project continues in its current form.
Horizon multiplayer project faces major changes
The reported overhaul would represent a significant change in direction for Horizon Hunters Gathering. The project was originally understood to be part of Sony’s broader push into live-service games, with an emphasis on long-term online engagement. The new approach would instead place greater importance on a conventional co-operative experience that players can complete together.
The changes reportedly follow feedback from closed testing sessions conducted this year. While details about the testers’ concerns have not been made public, the response appears serious enough for Guerrilla to reconsider the game’s overall structure. Rather than abandoning the project, the studio is said to be attempting to reshape it into something that better fits the Horizon series and its audience.
Bloomberg reports that developers have been given until the end of the year “to impress executives with their next milestone”. The wording suggests that the project’s future remains uncertain, with Sony expected to assess whether the revised version is making sufficient progress.
Many developers previously assigned to Horizon Hunters Gathering are also reportedly being moved to another project. That title is itself expected to face an evaluation later this year, adding further uncertainty to Guerrilla’s current development plans.
Guerrilla’s Horizon plans extend beyond the multiplayer project
Most of Guerrilla’s developers have reportedly been focused on Horizon Hunters Gathering, while a smaller team has been working on the next mainline Horizon game. That game is expected to follow Horizon Forbidden West, but the limited size of its development team means the sequel is reportedly still years away from completion.
The situation highlights the difficult balancing act Guerrilla faces as it tries to expand the Horizon franchise. The series has become one of Sony’s major first-party properties, but the company has also been seeking new ways to build recurring revenue through multiplayer and live-service projects.
Another Horizon multiplayer project is already in development outside Guerrilla. Horizon Steel Frontiers is an MMO designed for PC and mobile platforms and is being developed by South Korean company NCSoft. The project is therefore separate from Horizon Hunters Gathering and represents a different approach to expanding the franchise into online gaming.
For Guerrilla, the reported changes to Horizon Hunters Gathering could allow the studio to pursue a multiplayer experience without relying as heavily on the live-service model. A co-operative game with a defined story could also provide a more familiar structure for players who have primarily experienced Horizon through its single-player adventures.
Sony’s live-service strategy continues to face challenges
The reported problems with Horizon Hunters Gathering come amid a difficult period for Sony’s live-service ambitions. The company announced in 2022 that it planned to release 10 live-service games by March 2026, but several projects have since been cancelled or delayed, while others have struggled to meet expectations.
One of the clearest successes has been Helldivers 2, which demonstrated that Sony can establish a successful multiplayer property when the concept and execution connect with players. However, other projects have produced much less favourable results. Sony cancelled several planned titles, reportedly including projects associated with major franchises such as God of War and Spider-Man.
Naughty Dog also cancelled its planned The Last of Us multiplayer game in 2023 after the studio determined that supporting the project as a live-service title would require ongoing commitment that could have significantly affected its other work.
The release of Concord provided another major setback. Sony withdrew the game shortly after its launch following extremely low player numbers, making it one of the most high-profile failures of the company’s recent live-service strategy. The company has also faced challenges involving Bungie, the studio it acquired in 2022, as it continues to reassess its multiplayer projects and development priorities.
Despite those difficulties, Sony has not completely abandoned the live-service market. Projects such as Fairgame$ remain in development, and the company will continue to look for multiplayer titles that can build long-term player communities.
For Guerrilla, however, the reported rethink of Horizon Hunters Gathering could signal a more cautious approach. If the revised co-operative format satisfies Sony’s executives, the project may continue with a substantially different identity from the one originally planned. If it fails to meet expectations by the end of the year, its future could become considerably less certain.
