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Update [Thu 13th Nov 2025, 7:30am]:
NCSoft has now officially announced Horizon Steel Frontiers, a mobile and PC (via Purple) MMO inspired by Guerrilla’s open world franchise. The game leaked earlier in the day.
The game will take you to the Deadlands, a post-apocalyptic frontier inspired by Arizona and New Mexico. You’ll create your own character and play alongside thousands of others in an online experience that will emphasize combat and customisation.
Here’s the first trailer:
And here’s a chunk of gameplay footage, which looks outstanding:
Guerrilla’s studio director Jan-Bart Van Beek said:
“We already had groups at Guerrilla playing Horizon Steel Frontiers together at the office, and it’s really amazing. Whenever I get a chance to jump in on an early gameplay test, what really stands out is Steel Frontiers’ distinct tone and atmosphere. It has a unique identity of its own, and has been brought to life by NCSOFT’s developers. But it fits perfectly with the Horizon universe, and that balance with the essence of Horizon and something fresh is what really excites me about this project.”
But the announcement has not gone down well among the PS5 faithful, who – in the aftermath of Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble’s reveal for mobile earlier this week – believe Sony is ignoring the console which originally made these brands household names.
“A new PlayStation game not coming to PlayStation, and the gameplay is actual fire,” one fan wrote on X (or Twitter). “Please bring this to PS5.”
To be honest, we wouldn’t be surprised if it did eventually make its way to Sony’s console, but clearly it’s targeting the enormous mobile market first and foremost with this project.
For what it’s worth, Guerrilla – who’s just overseeing this project – noted on social media that it’s “still busily working on more ways for you to [hunt machines together in the world of Horizon]”.
We know it’s been working on its own multiplayer version of the series for quite some time, and we’d expect that to be announced in the not-too distant future.
Original Story: Sony’s fledgling mobile strategy is slowly coming into focus.
Earlier this week, it announced Ratchet & Clank: Galaxy Rangers, an arena-based multiplayer shooter for mobile.
And now, ahead of G-STAR in Korea, the long-rumoured MMO from NCSoft Horizon Steel Frontiers has been revealed. It’ll be available on PC and mobile, with no mention of the PS5 right now.
While we won’t repost the trailer here just yet – you can watch it on The Verge – it shows a hunter taming mechanical beasts, just like in the main Horizon games.
However, the twist with this MMO adaptation – which is focusing on mobile first and foremost – is that you’ll be doing so alongside “thousands” of other players.
Here’s what Guerrilla’s Jan-Bart van Beek said in the leaked press release:
“Horizon Steel Frontiers is a full-fledged MMORPG that NCSoft has built specifically for mobile. With Steel Frontiers, you can step into this world anywhere, anytime. Players take on the role of machine hunters, chasing opportunity in a region called the Deathlands. This is inspired by Arizona and New Mexico. You’re sharing the frontier with thousands of other players, sometimes working together to take down machines and other times competing with rival tribes or fighting over resources, and that mix of cooperation and competition creates moments that you could never script.”
Unlike in the main Horizon games, you won’t be playing as Aloy but will instead create your own character, although the various personalisation options available remain consistent with the main game’s tribes.
This looks like an impressive adaptation, which will surely grow the franchise’s appeal in Asia if it can maintain the series’ core gameplay tenants. It also puts into focus why Sony has been so litigious with copycat Light of Motiram.
There’s no release date right now, but NCSoft says it wants to release the title as soon as possible. Expect pre-registration to open shortly after the game’s official announcement, which we’d expect this week.
[source theverge.com]
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As the Editor of Push Square, Sammy has over 15 years of experience analysing the world of PlayStation, from PS3 through PS5 and everything in between. He’s an expert on PS Studios and industry matters, as well as sports games and simulators. He also enjoys RPGs when he has the time to dedicate to them, and is a bit of a gacha whale.