{"id":42531,"date":"2026-09-01T09:23:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T09:23:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/?p=42531"},"modified":"2026-09-01T09:23:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T09:23:12","slug":"sources-indicate-that-sony-is-rebooting-their-live-service-horizon-game-into-a-traditional-co-op-format-while-a-sequel-to-horizon-forbidden-west-is-expected-to-take-several-more-years-to-develop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/?p=42531","title":{"rendered":"Sources indicate that Sony is rebooting their live service Horizon game into a traditional co-op format, while a sequel to Horizon Forbidden West is expected to take several more years to develop."},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/div>\n

### Horizon Hunters Gathering: A Shift from Live Service to Traditional Co-op<\/p>\n

“Horizon Hunters Gathering,” the anticipated live service multiplayer spin-off of PlayStation’s beloved Horizon series, is reportedly undergoing a significant transformation. Anonymous insiders have revealed that the project is being restructured to focus on a smaller, more traditional co-op experience that will include a story mode, diverging from its original live service model.<\/p>\n

#### Background on Horizon Hunters Gathering<\/p>\n

Initially announced by Guerrilla Games earlier this year, “Horizon Hunters Gathering” was designed to see human adventurers embark on quests from a social hub to collect loot. Set after the events of 2022’s critically acclaimed “Horizon Forbidden West,” the game featured an episodic narrative component, a wave-based survival mode, and a roguelite experience called “Cauldron Descent.” However, despite ongoing playtests, the response has reportedly been less than favorable, leading the developers to reconsider the game’s direction.<\/p>\n

#### Transition to Co-op Experience<\/p>\n

According to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg, Sony executives plan to remove the live service elements completely, shifting the game towards a simpler co-op structure. This strategic pivot comes amid various challenges Sony has faced with live service games, including several project cancellations and the reassignment of staff within the company’s game development branches. A small team at Guerrilla Games is simultaneously working on a new single-player installment in the Horizon series.<\/p>\n

This decision reflects the company’s struggles with live service models. Despite PlayStation CEO Hideaki Nishino’s assertions that live service games are crucial for attracting a global audience, the reality has been marked by numerous setbacks. Examples include the cancellation of “Concord” shortly after its launch and the abandonment of live service spin-offs for several franchises, including “The Last Of Us” and “Spider-Man.”<\/p>\n

#### Impact on Future Projects<\/p>\n

Sony’s recent moves suggest a reevaluation of its live service strategy, moving away from ambitious plans to launch multiple live service titles in the coming years. The company previously aimed to release a dozen live service games by March 2026 but has since halved these expectations. The industry has proven saturated with live service games that require significant ongoing investment, often overshadowed by enduring successes such as “Fortnite.”<\/p>\n

As for the next narrative-driven game in the Horizon franchise, sources indicate that it is still years away from completion. Gamers are hopeful for its release, especially as speculation rises about Sony eventually returning to releasing first-party single-player titles on PC.<\/p>\n

#### Conclusion<\/p>\n

The transition of “Horizon Hunters Gathering” from a live service model to a co-op experience highlights the changing landscape of game development within Sony. While this shift may disappoint some fans eager for an expansive multiplayer experience, it reflects a broader trend within the industry to prioritize quality and player engagement over the risky live service model. As PlayStation navigates these changes, the focus remains on delivering compelling gaming experiences anchored in strong narratives and co-operative gameplay.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/div>\n

\nHorizon Hunters Gathering<\/a>, the live service multiplayer spin-off for PlayStation’s post-apocalyptic Horizon series, is being rebooted as a smaller and more traditional co-op experience with a story mode, according to anonymous insiders. In the process, we’re told, several of the project’s staff are being reassigned within Sony’s gamedev empire, even as a small team of Guerrilla Games work on the next “proper” singleplayer Horizon game.\n<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42532,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42531\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/42532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gaitgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}