Three years after the first rumors on the project, NCSOFT has now unveiled Horizon Steel Frontiers at G-Star 2025. This is a full-fledged MMORPG for PC (via the South Korean studio's PURPLE platform) and mobile (iOS and Android) based on Guerrilla Games' popular action/adventure franchise.
The announcement video features comments from Jan-Bart van Beek, now Studio Head at the Dutch developer, and also the person who came up with the original concept of Horizon. Van Beek says this is a version of the world that's meant to be played 'anywhere and at any time' (on mobile devices), and adds that Guerrilla was able to playtest the game and feels amazing about it, as it sports a unique identity that also fits with the universe. The Guerrilla Games Studio Head also seemed to hint that there will be PvP in addition to PvE:
You're sharing the frontier with thousands of other players, sometimes working together to take down machines, other times competing with rival tribes or fighting over resources. That mix of cooperation and competition creates moments that you could never script. At the heart of Horizon's story is the search for the balance between humanity, nature, and technology. And sometimes that's harmony, sometimes that's conflict, but it always creates a world filled with mystery and beauty.
![[Horizon Steel Frontiers] Announcement Video](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bN-NNgWIyIQ/hqdefault.jpg)
In the video, Sung-gu Lee, the Executive Producer of Horizon Steel Frontiers at NCSOFT, talked about tweaking the franchise's signature combat for an MMORPG:
Our main focus is designing a new combat experience tailored for an MMORPG. In Horizon Steel Frontiers, we’ve added unique, original gameplay elements to the process of taking down giant machines. For example, after destroying a specific part of a machine, you can quickly approach and climb onto it using a Pullcaster, set traps on the damaged part, and inflict status effects. During battle, you can even pick up weapons dropped by the machine, carry them on your mount, and use them in subsequent fights.
At the heart of giant machine hunts are two core values: cooperation and strategy. Players must take on their roles, act strategically, and work together seamlessly. These combat mechanics truly shine in large-scale battles, offering the scale and dynamism that only an MMORPG can provide.
Horizon Steel Frontiers will take place in a new area of the post-apocalyptic United States, known as the Deadlands, which is inspired by the landscapes of New Mexico and Arizona.
More details will undoubtedly follow. Meanwhile, you can find the official website at this URL.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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