Remember when materials about a new Guerrilla Games project leaked online a couple years ago? It was thought to be an MMORPG where users could play as representatives of different tribes. That guess wasn't far from the truth — today Guerrilla Games announced three-player co-op action game Horizon Hunters Gathering.
Long-Awaited Co-op Dream Realized
In this project, the team finally realized their dream of cooperative gameplay in the Horizon world — co-op mode was desired back in Horizon Zero Dawn. Horizon Hunters Gathering allows teams of up to three brave souls to fight off dangerous machines. Play with friends or alongside bots. Battles are tactical, demanding player reaction and skill.
Canon Story Campaign
A story campaign is also included. It tells of "new mysteries in the Horizon world, characters, and threats." The Hunters Gathering story is official canon and will develop after release. So far, only that machines are becoming increasingly dangerous, and only hunters can fight back against the tin cans. Judging by the footage, Hunters Gathering features not only familiar machines but familiar faces like blacksmith Petra and merchant Burgrend from The Frozen Wilds expansion.
Stylized Art Direction
The trailer makes clear that Guerrilla Games specialists selected a different visual style for Hunters Gathering — deviating from the main series' photorealism toward a more cartoonish appearance. According to Studio Head Jan-Bart van Beek, this decision should emphasize the title's dynamic nature.
Complex, Replayable Combat
At Horizon Hunters Gathering's heart lie complex and replayable battles intertwined with mechanics from original Horizon games (like weak points on machines). Victory requires skillfully combining character abilities.
Multiple Modes
Several modes exist, but only two are presented so far:
Machine Incursion — Hunters must fend off waves of enraged machines crawling from underground. This horde is led by a formidable boss.
Cauldron Descent — A longer, multi-stage challenge where hunters must advance through cauldron halls, places where machines are born. Rooms constantly change and unleash robots on uninvited guests. Some halls contain secret doors hiding unique rewards.
Diverse Character Roster
Apparently, playing as Aloy in Hunters Gathering won't be possible, but new characters from different tribes like Nora, Carja, and Oseram will be available. The roster will gradually expand. Each hero possesses their own weapons and is suited for either ranged or close combat. Builds can be assembled through a roguelite perk system. Before battle begins, choose one of three classes for your character: tank, support, or tactician. Chosen class changes abilities.
Four Launch Regions
Four regions will be available at launch, differing in appearance, atmosphere, and challenges located there. Between missions, heroes return to Hunter's Refuge — a hub location where you can upgrade equipment, visit traders, and more. There, players can also set up their own camp and customize it to taste.
Closed Playtest in Late February
Horizon Hunters Gathering is set to release on PC (Steam) and PlayStation 5. A small closed playtest runs in late February (applications available here) — at start, two mentioned modes and three heroes will be available. The game is still in active development, so there's no even approximate release timeframe.
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