It turns out Horizon fans are getting two new multiplayer games, as the first is announced for some unexpected formats.

In late 2022, Guerrilla Games posted job listings to casually announce it was developing a multiplayer spin-off for its Horizon series; one that sounded more akin to Monster Hunter and, based on an old leak, would feature a more cartoonish art style.

Earlier today, a website and YouTube channel for something called Horizon Steel Frontiers went live with surprisingly little fanfare, complete with a couple of introduction videos.

However, this is not Guerrilla Games’ project, but an entirely separate multiplayer game in development at South Korean studio NCSoft… and it’s not even coming to PlayStation 5.

Horizon Steel Frontiers is billed as an online multiplayer role-playing game, along the same lines as other NCSoft games such as Guild Wars 2, with the only formats slated being PC and mobile.

There were rumours of Sony and NCSoft collaborating on a Horizon MMO as far back as 2022, but there was virtually no other info to go on, even after a job listing from last year suggested the project was still in the works, despite numerous live service game cancellations at Sony.

‘Set in the lands of the machine hunters known as the Deadlands, the game builds on Horizon’s signature hunting-action gameplay while introducing advanced MMORPG systems, featuring deeply customisable combat and extensive player freedom,’ reads an announcement from NCSoft.

The project is also being developed ‘in collaboration with Guerrilla,’ which means the studio is busy juggling this, its own multiplayer game, and the Horizon Forbidden West sequel.

There’s no release date, but based on the gameplay footage, it certainly looks a lot like Horizon, as you hunt giant animal-shaped machines alongside other players. Combat and movement seem far more agile than in the mainline games though, as you now have a grappling hook to swing across large distances.

It’s very Monster Hunter-esque, which makes us wonder if it’s a smart idea for Sony to be releasing two Horizon multiplayer games with near identical concepts.

That said, the MMO is likely Sony’s attempt at branching the franchise out in China and Korea, where PC and mobile are the most popular formats. Meanwhile, Guerrilla’s multiplayer game will no doubt release for consoles and be geared more towards Western audiences.

Horizon isn’t the only PlayStation IP to be getting a new entry that’s not for PlayStation 5. Just yesterday, a new Ratchet & Clank game – Ranger Rumble – was announced, but it’s a multiplayer arena shooter that’s only launching for mobile.

Series developer Insomniac Games also doesn’t appear to be involved, as the project is being handled by French studio Oh BiBi, which specialises in mobile games.

We’re sure Ratchet & Clank fans are being completely normal about this (Sony)

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