At the G-Star 2025 game show in Busan, South Korea, South Korean game developer NCSOFT officially unveiled its highly anticipated new title, Horizon Steel Frontiers, a deep collaboration with Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)'s Guerrilla Games.
This title has been confirmed to be presented as an MMORPG and is expected to be released on PC and iOS/Android mobile platforms. This marks the first time the Horizon IP has ventured into the massively multiplayer online game genre.
Become a hunter in "Deadlands" and experience multiplayer co-op and tribal competition.
Regarding this collaboration, Guerrilla Games stated that the Horizon series itself boasts a rich story and tribal culture, and the team has always wanted players to experience this world in different ways. Through the partnership with NCSOFT, players will be able to become mechanical hunters in the "Deadlands," adventuring in the frontier alongside thousands of other players.
The game design will emphasize the coexistence of "cooperation" and "competition". Players will sometimes need to work together to hunt large machines, and at other times they will need to compete with other tribes for scarce resources. This dynamic social relationship will create unique moments that cannot be presented in a single-player scenario.
Recapturing the essence of the original: body part destruction, grappling hook climbing, and trap tactics.
Regarding the core combat experience, NCSOFT emphasizes expanding the fun of "conquering overwhelming behemoths" from the original game into the MMORPG framework. Based on the Pre-Alpha version screenshots released at the event, the development team has put considerable effort into the combat mechanics:
Part destruction and climbing: Players must first destroy specific parts of the mechanical monster, then use the grappling hook to instantly approach and climb onto the mechanical body to attack.
• Tactical application: Players can set traps after destroying parts of enemies to inflict abnormal status effects.
• Heavy Armor Mounts: Heavy weapons dropped by mechanical monsters during combat can be equipped on mounts, allowing players to move with heavy firepower and use them flexibly in battle.
Emphasizing that each party should perform its own duties, the listing schedule is yet to be determined.
NCSOFT points out that in Horizon Steel Frontier, the key to conquering giant machines lies in strategic cooperation. Unlike traditional stationary combat, players need to fulfill their roles, take strategic actions, and cooperate closely to survive in the treacherous mechanical ecosystem.
The official release date for Horizon Steel Frontier has not yet been announced, but it has been confirmed that cross-platform play will be supported, allowing players to enter this magnificent world woven from humanity, nature, and high-tech machinery anytime, anywhere.
