Horizon Hunters Gathering announced, a tactical co-op game in the Horizon universe

Guerrilla Games and PlayStation have officially unveiled Horizon Hunters Gathering, a fresh entry set in the Horizon universe.

Launching on PS5 and PC, the game is described as a tactical cooperative action experience taking place in the worlds of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.

According to the announcement trailer, up to three players can team up as Hunters to protect the world from a deadly machine threat. At launch, Hunters Gathering will support solo play with AI-controlled teammates, alongside co-op with other players. However, future public test phases will focus exclusively on cooperative multiplayer.

The developers confirmed that the game will feature a full narrative campaign, introducing new mysteries, characters, and menaces. Guerrilla plans to kick off a small-scale closed test by the end of February, with sign-ups available through the PlayStation Beta Program.

Project game director Arjan Bak, who previously served as art director on Horizon Zero Dawn, revealed that the concept of cooperative hunting of machines dates back to the very inception of the Horizon universe.

Bak explained that development began with a small Guerrilla team experimenting with cooperative gameplay, drawing on experience from Killzone multiplayer and the success of Horizon Zero Dawn. The team’s goal was to seamlessly bring co-op action into the Horizon series.

He said the combat system will be tactical, reactive, and skill-based. The core gameplay loop revolves around repeatable hunts. Players can select from a roster of unique Hunters, each boasting distinct combat styles, close- or long-range weapons, and defined roles, enhanced by a roguelike perk system to customize builds.

Between missions, players will return to Hunters Gathering – a social hub where they can tweak characters, visit merchants, upgrade gear, and team up with others.

Two modes have been showcased so far: Machine Incursion, an intense mission where waves of machines flood out of underground portals led by a powerful boss; and Cauldron Descent, a longer, multi-stage challenge featuring shifting rooms with tough fights, hidden passages, and high-risk rewards for daring teams.

Since launching the Horizon franchise in 2017, Guerrilla Games has released Horizon Zero Dawn, its expansion The Frozen Wilds, Horizon Forbidden West, Horizon: Call of the Mountain, the Burning Shores expansion, and Lego Horizon Adventures. Additionally, NCSoft recently announced Horizon Steel Frontiers, an MMORPG set in the Horizon universe.