Discover the latest on the canceled Horizon MMORPG and what's next for the franchise!

NCSoft Cancels Horizon MMORPG and Other Projects Amid Feasibility Review

On January 13, 2025, NCSoft, a renowned South Korean developer and publisher known for the Lineage and Guild Wars series, made the tough decision to cancel several projects, including the highly anticipated Horizon MMORPG, codenamed "H." According to reports from MTN, a South Korean news site, this decision came after a thorough "feasibility review."

In addition to the Horizon MMORPG, NCSoft also axed projects codenamed "J," while "Pantera" or "Raising Lineage" remains under evaluation. The departure of key developers associated with the Horizon MMORPG project from NCSoft played a significant role in this cancellation. Those who remained at NCSoft were reassigned to other ongoing projects. The removal of projects "H" and "J" from the company's organizational chart further solidified their cancellation.

As of now, neither Sony nor NCSoft has issued an official statement regarding these cancellations. It remains unclear whether another publisher or development team might pick up the remnants of "Project H" to continue its development.

Despite this setback, fans of the Horizon series can look forward to another multiplayer venture, as Guerilla Games is actively working on a separate project.

Guerilla Games Developing Horizon "Online Project" Since 2022

Guerilla Games announced their interest in developing an online project for the Horizon series back in December 2022 via a Twitter(X) post. They invited developers to join their team in Amsterdam to work on "a separate Online Project set in Horizon’s universe," promising "a new cast of characters and a unique stylized look."

Further evidence of this project's progress came in November 2023 when Guerilla Games posted a job listing for a Senior Combat Designer, emphasizing the need for someone to design "multiple machine enemies that provide a variety of challenges against multiple players." This suggests the game will feature larger and more formidable foes to engage groups of players.

As of January 2025, Guerilla Games continues to recruit for this unnamed Horizon multiplayer game. A recent job listing for a Senior Platform Engineer seeks someone with experience in managing "multi-service, 1M+ globally distributed systems across multiple public cloud providers," hinting at the developers' ambition to support around one million players. While no official announcement has been made, this project is likely to be internally developed by Sony.

Sony Announced its Partnership with NCSoft

On November 28, 2023, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) announced a "strategic global partnership" with NCSoft, aiming to leverage NCSoft’s technological expertise alongside SIE’s global entertainment leadership.

Jim Ryan, President and CEO of SIE, stated, "Partnering with NCSOFT advances our strategy to expand beyond console and broaden PlayStation’s reach to a wider audience. Like SIE, NCSOFT shares a similar vision in creating high-quality, impactful entertainment experiences for players everywhere, and together we’re excited to collaborate to push the boundaries of gaming further."

This partnership could pave the way for Sony to explore new avenues in online multiplayer gaming, potentially bringing other Sony titles to mobile platforms in the future. While the Horizon MMORPG may not see the light of day, the collaboration between Sony and NCSoft opens up exciting possibilities for gaming enthusiasts.