Following massive layoffs at PlayStation, fans were concerned about the status of a certain project from the Horizon franchise. But apparently everything is fine.
Since Forbidden West and its DLC, we haven’t heard much about the Horizon license. We know that Guerrilla Games is working hard, but for the moment, it doesn’t offer us anything exciting. Among the projects on the go, there is one that will take the form of a multiplayer experience. The problem is that PlayStation recently made a drastic decision that could put this anticipated game in danger. However, there is clearly no reason to worry.
Horizon in multiplayer, it’s still in progress
If you’re a little lost, we’ll give you some context. Yesterday, Jim Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, made a shocking announcement. SIE will reduce its overall workforce of around 8%, or around 900 people. There is not only one studio affected, and among those concerned, we find precisely the one behind Horizon. We didn’t have a precise figure, but it remains dramatic, especially since it is one of PlayStation’s most successful subsidiaries.
So, what does this mean for the future of the franchise? Some players asked journalist Jason Schreier, who was one of the first to report the information. To be more specific, a user asked if the multiplayer-oriented Horizon title was canceled. Our man is formal, it is “No”. Well, at least that has the merit of being reassuring, even if it’s still a terrible situation for Guerrilla Games. The project is therefore still on track, but its development logically risks being impacted by these layoffs.
The latest news was that Jan-Bart van Beek, the director of the firm, was talking about this multiplayer Horizon in a very salesy way. “As you may already know, we are also working on a multiplayer game. This is a whole new challenge for us. A huge change comparable to when we designed Horizon Zero Dawn”, he told us. Job offers had also been seen, mentioning new machines, but also the return of old ones with modified behavior. We’re curious to see what happens, but for now, be patient.