It looks like Sony has given up on asking its first-party studios to try and make live-service games and instead, focused on collaborating with companies that specialize in the genre. Aside from Bungie, which PlayStation acquired last year, it’s reportedly working with the South Korean game developer, NCSoft Corporation, on a Horizon MMO.
Although many believed that this might have been canceled already, similar to Naughty Dog’s multiplayer The Last of Us spin-off and Insomniac Games’ planned Spiderverse title, recent evidence shows that the partnership is still ongoing and could materialize into a notable entry into the MMO space.
All the talk surrounding the project started after NCSoft registered a new domain on December 5. “landofsalvation.ing”, which hints at a potential title of “Land of Salvation”, fits well within the Horizon series’ game theme – a series set in a post-apocalyptic future in which man, nature, and machine have all learned to live together following catastrophic event fueled by human greed and ingenuity.
On December 5th, NCSoft registered a domain for a new project, potentially the previously reported Horizon MMO, titled
LAND OF SALVATION
The domain, https://t.co/Cv8DhJTEoD, was registered on the same day as domains for NCSoft's already announced projects, such as… pic.twitter.com/TpLrNBXZ34
— Kurakasis (@Kurakasis) December 29, 2023
Furthermore, the registration comes shortly after Sony and NCSoft confirmed their strategic partnership. This massive collaboration is expected to leverage NCSoft’s technological capabilities and Sony’s global leadership in entertainment, promising to deliver new and enjoyable experiences to audiences worldwide.
Guerrilla Games studio director Jan-Bart van Beek has previously confirmed long-term plans for the Horizon series – a pipeline that includes a multiplayer co-op game, which aligns with the rumored MMO project, and a live-action adaptation on Netflix along with future mainline entries in the series.
Apparently, Guerilla had initially planned to include a co-op mode in the first Horizon game but later decided to focus on the single-player mode and story.
The rumors from last year suggested that NCSoft was recruiting for a project codenamed Project H, believed to be an action MMORPG in collaboration with Sony. This project aligns with Sony’s push towards more live-service games, a strategy further evidenced by their acquisition of Bungie and the development of various games as a service titles.
While Sony has faced challenges with GAAS titles, the potential Horizon MMO could signal a renewed commitment to this genre. Titles like Helldivers 2, which has been delayed to February 2024, also indicate Sony’s ongoing interest in live-service games.
NCSoft’s experience in developing successful MMO titles, like Lineage, which was successfully ported to mobile devices, could prove invaluable in this venture. There’s speculation that the Horizon MMO project might be developed for mobile platforms, considering NCSoft’s track record and the growing trend of mobile gaming.
The partnership between Sony and NCSoft could be a strategic move to expand Sony’s gaming reach beyond consoles, tapping into a broader audience and exploring new genres and platforms. With NCSoft’s expertise in MMOs and Sony’s experience in creating compelling narratives and immersive worlds, the Horizon MMO has the potential to be a groundbreaking title – a rare win in Sony’s once-promising live-service plans.
In the meantime, PlayStation 5 owners can look forward to playing one of the most highly anticipated games next year in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, which comes out in February 2024. Finally, Horizon: Forbidden West is headed to PCs in 2024.
