Guerrilla Games has officially announced Horizon Hunters Gathering, marking the studio's return to multiplayer gaming with a three-player co-op action experience set in the Horizon universe. The game features a striking departure from the franchise's photorealistic visuals, embracing a stylized, cartoonish aesthetic that's already generating significant discussion among fans.
The announcement comes more than four years after job listings first hinted at Guerrilla's multiplayer ambitions, and follows a 2023 footage leak that gave players an early glimpse of the game's distinctive art direction. Unlike the upcoming Horizon Steel Frontiers MMORPG from NCSoft, which maintains the series' realistic visual style, Hunters Gathering charts its own creative path.
Meet the launch hunters in Horizon Hunters Gathering
Tactical Team-Based Machine Hunting
Game Director Arjan Bak emphasized that Horizon Hunters Gathering builds on the tactical precision that defines mainline Horizon games while introducing team-based dynamics. Here's the thing: combat isn't about mindless button-mashing. You'll need to coordinate with your squad, read machine attack patterns, and time your abilities perfectly to take down the most dangerous threats.
The game supports up to three players in cooperative hunts designed around challenge and replayability. Each encounter demands strategic thinking, with players collecting randomized perks, weapon upgrades, and stat enhancements after defeating machines. This roguelite build system encourages experimentation, letting you tailor your hunter's capabilities to specific challenges and team compositions.
Key combat features include:
- Tactical positioning and coordinated attacks
- Machine component targeting system
- Squad ability synergies
- Dynamic perk collection during missions
- Role-based hunter classes (tank, support, tactician)
Game Modes and Mission Structure
The February closed playtest will feature two distinct mission types, each designed to test different aspects of team coordination:
Machine Incursion challenges squads to repel large-scale machine assaults on tribal settlements. You'll collect randomized power-ups while defending against waves of enemies, culminating in a boss encounter. Pro tip: the storm mechanic creates urgency, forcing teams to balance offense with survival as the play area shrinks.
Cauldron Descent offers a longer, multi-stage dungeon experience where hunters choose their path through brutal machine encounters and environmental obstacles. Hidden doors promise greater rewards for teams willing to take risks, with each cleared chamber providing power-ups that enable deeper progression.
What most players miss is that these modes aren't just about combat difficulty. They're designed to encourage different playstyles and team compositions, rewarding adaptability over rigid strategies.
Important
The full game will include a narrative campaign supporting both solo play with NPC companions and co-op with friends, though this won't be available in the February playtest.
Hunter Roster and Customization
The launch roster features diverse hunter types, each bringing unique capabilities to your squad:
- Soldiers - Frontline defenders who hold the line
- Infiltrators - Shadow operatives specializing in stealth
- Champions - Combat specialists who excel in direct confrontation
- Mercenaries - Versatile fighters with checkered pasts
- Veterans - Experienced hunters on one final mission
The February playtest includes three hunters: Rem, Sun, and Axel, representing classic RPG archetypes of tank, support, and tactician. Each hunter wields distinct melee or ranged weapons and can select from multiple roles that modify their abilities.
Prepare for hunts in the Gathering
Between missions, you'll return to the Hunter's Gathering, a customizable social hub where you can upgrade gear, adjust loadouts, visit vendors, and assemble your team. The key here is that this space serves as more than a menu system,it's a living area where players connect and prepare together.
Environments and Exploration
At launch, Horizon Hunters Gathering will feature four large environments, each offering unique atmospheres and squad challenges. You'll want to master the distinct characteristics of each location, as environmental knowledge becomes crucial for higher-difficulty hunts.
Guerrilla promises regular post-launch content updates expanding the hunter roster, adding new missions, and introducing fresh challenges. The studio has confirmed the game is fully canonical within the Horizon universe, introducing new characters, threats, and mysteries that expand the franchise's lore.
The narrative campaign presents new mysteries while respecting established Horizon lore. You'll encounter fresh characters and threats that fit naturally into the world introduced in Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, and Horizon Call of the Mountain. Guerrilla emphasizes that the story doesn't end at launch, with planned narrative expansions coming through post-release updates.
The new game borrows from the original Horizon titles style
Platform Support and Beta Access
Horizon Hunters Gathering launches on PlayStation 5 and PC with full cross-play and cross-progression support. The key here is maintaining your progress across platforms when using the same PlayStation account,perfect for players who game on both systems.
The first small-scale closed playtest begins at the end of February. You can sign up through the PlayStation Beta Program, marking your interest in future playtests on either platform. This early access opportunity lets you experience the game's core mechanics and provide feedback that shapes development.
Guerrilla's multiplayer venture represents a significant gamble for the studio and the Horizon franchise. The stylized art direction marks a dramatic departure from the series' signature photorealistic visuals, potentially alienating fans who loved the mainline games' grounded aesthetic. However, it also opens the franchise to new audiences and allows for more expressive character designs and vibrant environments.
The roguelite mechanics and team-based focus position Hunters Gathering as a complementary experience rather than a replacement for single-player Horizon adventures. Bak's reassurance that Guerrilla continues developing mainline entries suggests the studio views this as franchise expansion rather than redirection.
Background on Guerrilla's Multiplayer History
Guerrilla Games built its reputation on the Killzone franchise, which featured robust multiplayer modes alongside single-player campaigns. The studio's pivot to Horizon with Zero Dawn in 2017 showcased its ability to craft compelling open-world experiences, but many fans wondered if multiplayer would return.
Job listings in 2022 confirmed Guerrilla was exploring online cooperative gameplay within the Horizon universe. Early footage leaked in 2023 revealed the stylized visual direction, generating mixed reactions from the community. Today's official announcement provides the first comprehensive look at how these elements come together in Horizon Hunters Gathering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Horizon Hunters Gathering and how does it differ from mainline Horizon games?
Horizon Hunters Gathering is a three-player cooperative action game set in the Horizon universe with stylized, cartoonish visuals instead of the photorealistic graphics of Zero Dawn and Forbidden West. It features team-based machine hunts with roguelite mechanics, tactical combat requiring coordination, and both PvE missions and a narrative campaign that can be played solo with NPCs or in co-op.
When does the Horizon Hunters Gathering beta start and how can I sign up?
The first small-scale closed playtest begins at the end of February 2026. You can sign up through the PlayStation Beta Program by visiting the official PlayStation website and marking your interest in playtests for either PS5 or PC platforms. The beta will include three hunters and two mission types.
Will Horizon Hunters Gathering support cross-play between PS5 and PC?
Yes, the game features full cross-play and cross-progression between PlayStation 5 and PC when you're logged in using the same PlayStation account. This means you can play with friends regardless of platform and maintain your progress across both systems.
Is Horizon Hunters Gathering part of the official Horizon story?
Yes, Guerrilla Games has confirmed that Horizon Hunters Gathering is fully canonical within the Horizon universe. The game introduces new characters, threats, and mysteries that expand the franchise's lore, with a narrative campaign that continues beyond launch through post-release content updates.