Following the release of Horizon Forbidden West and Horizon Call of the Mountain, many were wondering what would be next for the franchise. There have been numerous reports that there are two Horizon-related projects in development. One is a Horizon multiplayer game in development. The other was an MMO that was being designed by NCSoft, developers of Guild Wars 2 and the Lineage series. Earlier this year, there were reports that the MMO was canceled, but that doesn’t seem to be the case or the canceled game was different what was announced today. NCSoft and Guerilla Games have offcially announced and revealed Horizon Steel Frontiers, an MMORPG based on the Horizon franchise that will be coming to iOS, Android, and PC.

“When I fist experienced Horizon Zero Dawn in 2017, I was instantly drawn into its vibrant and captivating world,” Taekjin Kim, NCSoft CCO, said. “The battles against colossal machine lifeforms were exhilarating and the mysterious narrative sparked my curiosity, urging me to explore every corner of that universe. Yet I couldn’t help but feel a little wistful that such an incredible world had to be experienced alone. I imagined how thrilling it would be to meet others, to team up and face these massive machines together.”

“From the beginning, I was convinced: battling machine lifeforms would be far more exciting than facing any fantasy monster. That vision inspired us to create an MMO set in this extraordinary universe. And today, I’m proud to present Horizon Steel Frontiers—a dream realized. Horizon Steel Frontiers represents a new challenge for NC, and the start of an exciting journey ahead. We hope you look forward to this new Horizon born from the collaboration between NC and Guerrilla.”

In Horizon: Steel Frontiers, players will assume the role of machine hunters, chasing opportunity in its version of the combination of Arizona and New Mexico called the Deadlands. Players will be sharing the frontiers with other players, sometimes  working together to take down machines, and other times competing with rival tribes or fighting over resources.

“From the very beginning of creating this franchise, we’ve imagined the Horizon universe as one that could be experienced in many different ways,” Jan-Bart van Beek, Guerilla Games Studio Director, said.  “Horizon Steel Frontiers is a full-fledged MMORPG that NCSOFT has built specifically for mobile. With Steel Frontiers, you can step into this world, anywhere, anytime.”

“At the heart of the Horizon story is the search for the balance between humanity, nature, and technology. Sometimes that’s harmony, sometimes that’s conflict. But it always creates a world filled with mystery and beauty. What we want players to feel is the world’s resilience and its hope. And that even when everything seems overwhelming, humanity can adapt, can survive, and find meaning in the world.”

Steel Frontiers , being a MMORPG, meant that the combat would be a little different from the base game. NCSoft added some unique, original gameplay elements to the gameplay. Players’ll be able to climb on machines with a pullcaster, set traps on the damaged part, and inflict status effects, for example. “Our main focus is designing a new combat experience tailored for an MMORPG,” Sung-Gu Lee, NCSoft Executive Producer, said.

Players will also be able to take and pick up the weapons dropped by the machines and carry them on their mount, and use them in subsequent fights. ” At the heart of giant machine hunts are two core values. cooperation and strategy. Players must take on their roles, act strategically, and work together seamlessly. These combat mechanics truly shine in large-scale battles, offering the scale and dynamism that only an MMORPG can provide,” Lee added.

NCSoft understands that customization is very important in an MMORPG, so they made sure players will be able to fully express their individuality, down to the smallest details. Players will be able to choose from the different tribes from Horizon: Nora, Tenakth, Utatu, and Oseram, and create their character based on their preferred tribe.

“Our system provides a high degree of freedom, so you can design your character exactly as you envision—from facial features, body type, and hair, to makeup and finer details,” Lee said. “The characters you create can be shared with other players, allowing you not only to show off your own style, but also draw inspiration from others to further customize your hero. Step into Horizon Steel Frontiers as a truly unique machine hunter, crafted entirely by you, and explore a world where your individuality matters.”

“In the world of Horizon Steel Frontiers, you’ll be able to develop your own character, team up with friends to hunt colossal machines, and live the story of a machine hunter in the Deadlands. We can’t wait to see you all become the heroes of this adventure, and we’re doing our best to make that day come as soon as possible.”