Horizon Forbidden West was Sony's first and perhaps most substantial offering in 2022, showing the exploits of protagonist Aloy after the conclusion of the first game. It released at a time when there were plenty of other options for gamers, but regardless of outside competition it garnered strong commercial sales and near-universal critical acclaim. Taking the story to the Pacific and the sunny pastures of what was California was a stroke of genius, as it granted players new areas to explore and enemies to overcome.
The graphical fidelity of Horizon Forbidden West was a surprise, not just because of its unwavering landscape beauty and gorgeous art style, but also because it was committed to a PlayStation 4 release and had to run consistently on hardware that is fast approaching a decade old. This was understandable since PS5s are still not readily available for all, but this compromise should be adequately balanced with a PC port that can truly get the best out of the game's visuals. Nothing is confirmed yet, but it would be in the best interests of both players and the developer to bring it to Steam or the Epic Store, if anything to give it the widespread recognition that it deserves.
Horizon Zero Dawn was a PC Success
Prior to Horizon Zero Dawn's unveiling during Sony's 2015 E3 conference, Guerrilla was known for developing the Killzone games, which were a part of a well-received IP that felt like it had run its course when Killzone: Shadow Fall released alongside the PlayStation 4. Horizon was a significant departure from what the company was known for, but when it hit shelves and digital storefronts, it became abundantly clear that Guerrilla is an industry titan that would have been wasted by sticking exclusively to the first-person shooter genre. Horizon Zero Dawn is a visual, presentational, and mechanical marvel, and its sequel, 2022's Horizon Forbidden West, improves on it in plenty of interesting ways.
Though it may have initially launched on the PlayStation 4 in the first half of 2017, Horizon Zero Dawn was given new life three years later when it arrived on PC in August 2020. It sold over 700,000 copies when it launched on Steam, and has gone on to shift plenty more up to today. Its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, has yet to be announced for PC despite Sony's new focus on bringing its first party games to the platform. Zero Dawn showed that there is an audience for Aloy's adventures among PC gamers, so opting to isolate Forbidden West from the platform (despite releasing it on the hardware-restricted PlayStation 4) would be money left on the table.
Horizon Forbidden West Can't Catch a Break
Despite its immense quality and decent commercial performance, Horizon Forbidden West was completely overshadowed on release by Elden Ring, the latest effort from developer FromSoftware that has been anticipated for years. That game is also an open-world action game with a third-person perspective, and while Guerrilla's product is more accessible to casual audiences and had the luxury of being a sequel to a much-loved game, Elden Ring captured the hearts of millions with a format that many deemed revolutionary. Horizon Forbidden West never stood a chance, and its release parroted its predecessor's luck, as that game was outshone in 2017 by the majesty of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
As a result, Guerrilla's performance at the 2022 Game Awards was disappointing. It was nominated for a handful of accolades including Best Performance for Ashley Burch, Best Art Direction and, most impressively, Game of the Year, but won nothing. The latter went to Elden Ring, which was surely the most obvious reminder that Horizon Forbidden West needs a new way to stand out. A PC release could be the best way to achieve this, and as 2023 promises plenty of memorable AAA experiences, it makes the most sense to bring Horizon Forbidden West to PC soon to ensure that the franchise isn't overshadowed for the third time.
Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PS4 and PS5.
