Highlights

  • The world of Horizon looks promising with a confirmed third game.
  • Aloy faces a monumental challenge with Nemesis threatening Earth, and the outcome will shape the future of humanity.
  • The upcoming Horizon multiplayer game may or may not directly tie into Horizon 3, allowing for exploration of the franchise lore in a different setting.

There is plenty to look forward to in the world of Guerrilla Games' Horizon franchise, not the least of which is how Horizon Forbidden West ended on a cliffhanger that all but confirmed a third game is on the way. Furthermore, Guerrilla has confirmed that an online game is in the works.

The two projects are exciting, but they may not be as unrelated as they initially appear. The online game could explore the aftermath of the events of Horizon Forbidden West's sequel and could take place in this aftermath as an epilogue whether Aloy manages to save the world once again or not.

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Horizon Forbidden West Strikes a Combat Sweet Spot that a Sequel Should Preserve

Horizon Forbidden West improves on its predecessor's combat, and the next game should be careful with messing with the formula.

Horizon Forbidden West and Nemesis

At the end of Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy discovers that a sinister AI known as Nemesis is headed for Earth. The fate of humanity is at stake, making it one of the greatest challenges Aloy will ever face regardless of how many companions she has by her side this time.

If she succeeds, humanity and life on Earth will presumably be saved. But if she fails, it could lead to a desolate planet ruled by machines. It's hard to tell how things will go, as all Aloy has are primitive weapons that she somehow has to use against high-tech AI.

The Making of Nemesis

The AI was created by the Far Zeniths to store their consciousness. However, the experiment was deemed a failure, and the AI was abandoned and imprisoned. This gave Nemesis plenty of time to develop a strong sense of misanthropy.

How Horizon Online Could Tie into Horizon 3

Either way, the Horizon online game could explore the aftermath of the third Horizon game. If Aloy manages to defeat Nemesis, the game could explore a world without Nemesis, which would be a much more peaceful one. There would still be machines around, which means plenty of opportunity for hunting gameplay, and there would still be several human tribes to discover and learn about.

If Aloy fails her quest, the Horizon online game could explore the dire consequences. It would be a world with little to no human beings and machines ruling the landscape. This would be a rough world to survive in, but it could make for some exciting gameplay.

Horizon Online May Have Little to Do with Horizon 3

Horizon's third entry isn't necessarily the last of all single-player offerings from Guerrilla Games to look forward to, but the online game allows the studio to explore the franchise lore without any ties to its narrative events if it doesn't wish for it to have any. In this case, the online game may be a simple hunting and gathering adventure with a core loop that isn't concerned with the world-ending stakes that Aloy tends to deal with.

The Horizon franchise has catapulted Aloy into superstardom among gaming heroines. She is also a character with the weight of the world on her shoulders, and how she fares in her next challenge will have a huge impact on future games, including possibly the upcoming online multiplayer game.