Guerrilla Games' Horizon franchise now rests in the same sphere as other premiere PlayStation single-player titles like God of War and The Last of Us. Across two main entries, Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, Horizon has captivated players with its take on a post-post-apocalyptic Earth that has been ravaged by rogue AI machines resembling a cross between modern wildlife and prehistoric dinosaur species. Horizon's story so far is also one of sweeping revelations and threats from both the planet's past and beyond the stars, with numerous intrigues linking them all together.

In 2022, Guerrilla announced that the franchise would be branching out via a Horizon multiplayer title, currently in development. Fans have since been theorizing about what such an experience in Horizon's world might look like. And though firmer details have yet to be provided on this, there is already one big aspect of the series' setting that would serve as a natural foundation for a PvP element in a multiplayer title, which is in tied to the tribes inhabiting Horizon's world: territory battles.

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The Rumored Horizon Multiplayer Game Could Let Players Choose Their Own Tribe

If Horizon's rumored multiplayer spin-off turns out to be real, Guerrilla Games would do well to utilize the franchise's tribes in several areas.

Horizon's Tribal-Based Setting and Lore Provides a Clear PvP Angle for its Multiplayer Title

Horizon's World is Already Rife with Strife Geared Towards PvP Action

Horizon's population of tribes, many of which are at odds if not outright conflict with others, is one of its important narrative components. Horizon's heroine, Aloy, has forged tenuous alliances with some of them so far, but the overall division and tension between the differing tribes is still very much present in the greater setting. Indeed, these were often basically marriages of convenience; a necessity to band together against the much larger existential threat posed by the machines, and even more so by Horizon's Far Zenith group and the Nemesis AI, which was set up as the next major antagonist at the conclusion of Forbidden West.

Aloy endeavored to unite or at the very least convince various tribal elders and leaders to set aside their respective hostilities in the light of the greater looming danger. Along the way, she formed lasting friendships with like-minded members, providing an example to others. However, this is more of the exception versus the rule in Horizon's world and history, and plenty of conflicts still arise within it. As most tribes practice particular rituals and beliefs, this also creates disagreements along with competition with their neighbors for resources, something that could form the basis of a PvP component.

How Horizon's Tribes Could Form the Perfect Blueprint for its Multiplayer PvP

Since these alliances are sometimes fickle, and circumstances can quickly change, with a few minor creative narrative tweaks, a protracted struggle between Horizon's multiple tribes could easily be the basis for a PvP format, as players might battle for control of territory and/or valuable resources. A good way into the plot, Forbidden West introduced a previously unknown tribe, the Quen, which Aloy then also had to contend with, learning their perspectives and assisting with their goals while continuing her mission of stopping the Zeniths. This could just be the tip of the iceberg, as the multiplayer then has a natural path to introduce more unknown tribes into the mix to accommodate MMO elements and design.

The time frame of Horizon's multiplayer title could inform the specifics of a tribal-based PvP as well. The game might possibly be set sometime before Aloy's main journey, or even in the wake of it. With the immediate danger halted, the tribes may fall back into their old relationships and squabblings with their former allies. Pitting different players as members of various tribes against each other, and going on raids or similarly styled missions would fit quite well into the structure. This tug-of-war framework between them would be an excellent path to keeping players engaged in a robust PvP mode, while naturally letting Guerrilla continue building its impressive setting and lore.

Horizon's tribes could battle each other to control chunks of the map, with the server players are in constantly showing who controls the territory. Controlled territory could provide XP boosts and special cosmetic rewards, making it something for players to chase, functioning similarly to games like New World. Perhaps high-ranking members of a tribe can set prices and laws for their territory, something that would surely lead to interesting communities forming around the game. Though it remains to be seen if, and how, Horizon's multiplayer will incorporate PvP, it nevertheless has a solid foundation to work with in this regard.

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