After gaining a reputation for not being able to catch a break thanks to its release schedule, the Horizon series finds itself in a much more enviable position these days. The releases of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West saw both titles competing with the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring, respectively. But the series has successfully carved out its own niche, enough to become one of Sony’s most successful first-party franchises and a clear priority for the PlayStation brand moving forward. Given the series’ recent past, it’s possible that Horizon’s current momentum could give way to an exciting announcement regarding its future.
The cancelation of the Horizon Zero Dawn television adaptation notwithstanding, the Horizon franchise has been experiencing some near non-stop momentum since the launch of Horizon Forbidden West. Following Forbidden West‘s release, Guerrilla has released one new game in the Horizon series in each subsequent year, with 2023 seeing the launch of the VR title Horizon Call of the Mountain and this year welcoming Lego Horizon Adventures (along with a remaster of the original Horizon Zero Dawn). If that cadence keeps up, players can likely expect Sony and Guerrilla Games to follow through with something franchise-related in 2025.
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What to Expect From the Horizon Franchise in 2025
Fans of the hit post-apocalyptic PlayStation Studios’ game franchise Horizon can expect a lot of potential new content to be released in 2025
Horizon Could Cash-In On its Momentum With a One-Two Punch of Releases and Reveals
Having just recently launched a LEGO spin-off and a remaster of the first game, it would seem that 2025 would be a quiet year for Guerrilla Games and the Horizon franchise, but the speed at which the series has expanded seems to suggest otherwise. At least one new Horizon project has been announced or released each year since the launch of Horizon Forbidden West in 2022, and there’s a strong possibility that Sony will want to maintain that schedule given how successful the franchise continues to be. As far as what that might look like, some rumored in-development projects could see the light of day in the coming 12 months.
In addition to the rumored mobile version of Horizon that is currently in development, Guerrilla Games’ job postings for developers on a multiplayer-centric project set in the Horizon universe point to a second title that might see a reveal in 2025. Additionally, the reveal trailer for Horizon Forbidden West debuted in 2020, roughly 3 years after the launch of Horizon Zero Dawn. With 2025 marking 3 years since the launch of Horizon Forbidden West, fans might get their first glimpse at the upcoming third mainline game in the series.
Horizon’s Future as a Multimedia Property Is Likely Far From Over
Netflix’s decision to cancel its in-development television adaptation of Horizon Zero Dawn is surprising, with multiple studios hoping to cash in on the ongoing video game adaptation “gold rush”. While there haven’t been any signs pointing to another studio picking up where Netflix left off, the beloved story and characters of the Horizon series seem too good to pass up, meaning players likely haven’t seen the last of Horizon‘s chances at becoming a film or television show (either live-action or animated). There’s a possibility that 2025’s expansion to the Horizon universe might not be game-related at all.
If Sony and Guerrilla Games announce a new project in the Horizon universe for release in 2025 or down the line, it’s a safe bet to assume that the studios are actively seeking partners to turn the franchise into a multimedia property. Though the original plans for an adaptation of Horizon to screen centered on the series being live-action, the success of Riot Games’ Arcane and the Cyberpunk 2077 anime Edgerunners point to a potential animated adaptation being Horizon’s best fit moving forward.
Horizon
The Horizon franchise follows Aloy as she is forced to contend with a series of powerful, towering robotic creatures in a post-apocalyptic landscape. The third-person action-RPG has already seen a sequel with Horizon: Forbidden West and gives players the freedom to explore the open world as they see fit.