Guerrilla Games unveils Horizon Hunters Gathering with simultaneous PC release and February closed tests

Guerrilla Games officially revealed Horizon Hunters Gathering – a tactical action game for up to three players in co-op, where hunters defend the world from deadly machines. The game launches simultaneously on PlayStation 5 and PC, with closed playtest sign-ups available now.

The studio immediately set expectations – Horizon Hunters Gathering isn't the trilogy conclusion fans have been waiting for. Guerrilla studio director Jan-Bart van Beek stated in the announcement video that this is a standalone game. Aloy, the protagonist of the mainline titles, only makes a brief appearance in the trailer, while the game itself features a roster of different hunters with unique abilities – tanks, snipers, stealth characters, and other classes.

Game director Arjan Bak describes the combat system as "tactical, reactive, and skill-based."

We took the precision and tactical depth of Horizon's combat and built it for a team environment. You'll have to read enemy movement, time your attacks, and combine abilities with your squad to take down the most powerful machines. It is a challenging game. You really have to earn that victory.

Despite its co-op focus, Horizon Hunters Gathering will feature a narrative campaign with new mysteries, characters, and threats that the studio plans to expand after launch. Players can also expect a social hub for gathering, preparing for missions, and celebrating victories together.

Guerrilla clearly anticipated mixed reactions from fans – van Beek opened the presentation with reassurances:

We absolutely love making singleplayer games and we're going to keep making them. They're a huge part of who we are as a studio.

Hunters Gathering, he added, represents the studio's "longstanding dream to try to do something different."

Those concerns proved justified – the announcement trailer on YouTube has more dislikes than likes, while reactions across some social media platforms have been harsh.

For interested players, Guerrilla will hold a closed playtest at the end of February. Registration is available through Sony's beta program. The test runs on PlayStation 5 and PC – the game is already available for wishlisting on Steam.