Guerrilla Games Unveils Ambitious Plans for Horizon Multiplayer

Summary

• Guerrilla Games may be anticipating significant player interest in its upcoming Horizon multiplayer game.
• A recent job listing from Guerrilla hints at the studio developing live-service systems for the Horizon multiplayer game capable of supporting over one million players.
• Additionally, Guerrilla might be taking proactive steps to prevent server issues at launch, similar to those experienced by Helldivers 2.

Guerrilla Games appears to be highly optimistic about the appeal of its upcoming Horizon multiplayer project. Despite the game not yet being officially revealed, the studio seems poised to handle massive player engagement in this anticipated live-service title.

Since the release of Horizon Forbidden West in 2022 and its subsequent Burning Shores DLC, Guerrilla has been relatively quiet, focusing on smaller projects like Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered and LEGO Horizon Adventures. However, evidence of a Horizon multiplayer game has been accumulating for years. Job listings from as early as 2018 have hinted at this project, and by 2025, it's practically a given.

Although the exact announcement date for the Horizon multiplayer project remains unknown, a recent job listing for a Senior Platform Engineer suggests that Guerrilla is preparing for a large player base. The role's requirements mention "proven experience building and operating multi service, 1M+ user globally distributed systems across multiple public cloud providers." This indicates that Guerrilla is not only expecting a high number of players but is also building a robust live-service infrastructure to support over one million users.

On the other hand, this ambitious preparation might also serve as a precautionary measure to ensure a smooth launch for the Horizon multiplayer game. The overwhelming server issues faced by Helldivers 2 due to its unexpected popularity on PS5 and PC serve as a cautionary tale. Guerrilla likely wants to avoid similar problems, ensuring a seamless onboarding experience for players. While there's no certainty that the Horizon multiplayer game will match Helldivers 2's success, Guerrilla's preparedness is commendable.

Given that the Horizon multiplayer game has been in development for several years, and assuming no major setbacks, Guerrilla could be gearing up for an announcement this year. A recent job listing hinted at a new Horizon game possibly launching in 2025. With the third mainline Horizon entry still some time away, this 2025 release might well be the eagerly awaited Horizon multiplayer project.