With the very first ideas that shaped the world of Horizon, we dreamed of players hunting machines together. We started with a small group of Guerrillas – including myself back in the days as Design Director – began exploring what that could look like. Drawing on our experience from the Killzone multiplayer titles and the momentum of Horizon Zero Dawn, we set out to bring cooperative action into the Horizon franchise.

Since then, the team and the game have grown tremendously. Throughout its development we’ve done extensive testing, patching, and feedback iteration. One of my favorite moments was our first in-studio playtest with the entire team: a special milestone where the vision and hard work from every discipline finally came together in a playable form. It’s always nerve-wracking to share early builds, but moments like that test, as well as today’s announcement, make it worthwhile. 

Horizon Hunters Gathering is a cooperative action game (developed by Guerrilla for PS5 and PC) that lets up to three players team up as heroic Hunters to protect a world under threat from deadly machines. Combat is tactical, reactive, and deeply skill-based, building on the tactical precision of the Horizon games while embracing the dynamics of team play. 

The foundation of Horizon Hunters Gathering centers around challenging and replayable hunts. Today we’re revealing two game modes: Machine Incursion, a high-intensity mission where waves of machines pour out from underground gateways, led by a formidable boss; and Cauldron Descent, a longer, multi-stage trial in which ever-changing rooms push Hunters to their limits, from brutal machine encounters to hidden doors that promise power and reward for teams prepared to open them. 

Both modes will be available in our upcoming closed playtest through the PlayStation Beta Program on PS5 and PC. We’re excited for players to get hands-on and help shape the game with their feedback.  

In Horizon Hunters Gathering, you choose from a roster of uniquely skilled Hunters – each with distinct melee or ranged playstyles and weapons – and select Hunter roles further embedded with a rogue-lite perk system to craft the build that best suits your style and your team. 

These Hunters have their own motivations and personal struggles, which comes together in new stories we want to tell in the world of Horizon. The game has a narrative campaign which will introduce new mysteries, characters, and threats, but we’re keeping it under wraps for now.  What we can say is that Hunters Gathering is fully canon and its story doesn’t stop at launch!

As you hunt dangerous machines in the wilds, you’ll travel through a range of environments that bring missions and stories to life. Each location offers its own atmosphere, challenges, and opportunities for your team to explore and master together. 

Between missions, you’ll return to Hunters Gathering: a vibrant social hub where players can connect, prepare, and celebrate victories together. Here, you can customize your Hunters, visit vendors, upgrade gear, and team up for your next adventure. 

With today’s announcement, we’re beginning a journey we hope to continue with you. Our first, small-scale closed playtest arrives at the end of February; you can sign up via the PlayStation Beta Program and mark your interest in any future Horizon Hunters Gathering playtest on PC or PS5[www.playstation.com]. PC players will need to sign in with their PSN account. By the way, Horizon Hunters Gathering supports cross-play between PS5 and PC, plus cross-progression when you are logged in and save your game using the same PlayStation account!

Though it’s still early on, you can expect more regular development updates and playtest announcements from us in the coming months. To stay in the loop on all the latest news about the game, we’ve launched a brand-new Horizon Hunters Gathering Discord[discord.gg] – we’d love to see you there!  

On a personal note, this is both an exciting and daunting step for us. Multiplayer games have always been part of our studio’s DNA, and it’s where I began my own career. Bringing a co-op hunting experience into the Horizon universe is something we’ve envisioned for a long time, and we’re approaching it with care, ambition, and passion. I hope the coming months give you a sense of the scale and complexity of what we’ve been building – or better yet, let you experience it yourself in a playtest. 

On behalf of everyone at Guerrilla, thank you to our Horizon fans and creators who support and believe in us. And welcome to all new Hunters excited to join us on this adventure. Horizon Hunters Gathering is about taking on challenges together – and we’re just getting started.