Guerrilla Games has finally pulled back the curtain on Horizon Hunters Gathering, its first online co-op action game—a project that has been in development for over four years. Unlike the series’ signature hyper-realistic visuals, this title adopts a bright, exaggerated cartoon style, a stark but deliberate shift that sets it apart from Horizon Zero Dawn, Forbidden West, and Call of the Mountain. The game’s director has emphasized that single-player Horizon* titles will continue, but Hunters Gathering represents the studio’s first foray into persistent, team-based gameplay.
The narrative expands the Horizon lore, introducing the Gathering—a specialized team of hunters defending humanity against increasingly dangerous machines. Players will assume roles like soldiers, infiltrators, or mercenaries, each with distinct abilities, and coordinate in real-time to overcome challenges. Combat hinges on squad synergy: timing attacks, reading enemy patterns, and leveraging perks earned from machine encounters. A roguelite build system further encourages experimentation, as players collect randomized upgrades after each battle.
A Hub for Hunters
At the heart of the experience is the Hunter’s Gathering, a customizable campsite where squads strategize, upgrade gear, and prepare for expeditions. Four open-world zones launch with the game, each offering unique missions. Two early playtest modes—Machine Incursion and Cauldron Descent—focus on teamwork: the former tasks players with repelling machine sieges, while the latter is a multi-stage dungeon with branching paths and escalating rewards. Story content, including solo and co-op campaigns, will arrive later.
Closed Beta Kicks Off This Month
A small-scale playtest begins at the end of February via the PlayStation Beta program, featuring three hunter archetypes—Rem, Sun, and Axel—each filling classic roles (tank, support, tactician). Cross-play and cross-progression between PlayStation 5 and PC are confirmed, though the full release date remains undisclosed. Guerrilla has hinted at post-launch expansions, including new hunter types and environments.
While Hunters Gathering diverges from the Horizon* series’ visual identity, its core appeal lies in collaboration. Whether it resonates with fans of the franchise’s lore or attracts new players to its co-op mechanics remains to be seen—but the beta offers an early glimpse into Guerrilla’s boldest experiment yet.
