Over the last decade or so, PlayStation has put a considerable amount of time and resources into creating a phenomenal library of first-party, single-player-focused titles, ranging from The Last of Us and Marvel's Spider-Man to God of War and, of course, the Horizon franchise. But as PlayStation looks to the future, it plans on shifting its focus away from purely single-player releases, and toward multiplayer, live-service titles. Based on some massive leaks, it seems very likely that franchises like Horizon are in line to receive the multiplayer spin-off treatment.
The first game announced as part of PlayStation's upcoming push into the live-service market was The Last of Us Multiplayer, and though it's apparently run into some development issues, the potential for a great game is certainly there. And that's exactly the same case for the rumored Horizon multiplayer spin-off. While Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West have both had great stories, characters, and single-player-focused objectives, there's a lot of fun to be had with slaying Machines together with a friend. And if a Horizon multiplayer spin-off is on the cards, then it may want to borrow one specific mechanic from Fallout 76.
A Horizon Multiplayer Spin-Off Should Borrow Fallout 76's CAMP Mechanic
Fallout 76 had an infamously terrible launch. From crashing servers to missing features that were previously promised to pre-order items being falsely advertised, everything that could go wrong with Fallout 76's launch did. But the basic premise and bones of Fallout 76 were solid, and over the last few years, it's turned into a fairly fun multiplayer game, albeit one that's still a little half-baked and disappointing in some areas.
One of Fallout 76's standout features is the CAMP system. With a map size even greater than most of its predecessors, Fallout 76 has a lot of wasteland for the player to traverse and explore. While players will find plenty of settlements and outposts along the way, they'll still run into long stretches devoid of any human life or buildings. In these stretches of wasteland, players can place a CAMP, a small fortification that can be customized in a number of different ways. By default, players will be able to drop two of these CAMPs across Fallout 76's wasteland, but for additional money, players can unlock up to eight more slots.
Placing down a CAMP in Fallout 76 will provide the player with a handful of gameplay benefits. The most immediate benefit is the appearance of a workshop, which players can use to customize the look of their CAMP base and place a series of defenses around it to stop any oncoming hostile threats. A CAMP can also be equipped with a vending machine, allowing other players to visit and purchase unwanted items from the CAMP's owner. After completing a side quest, players can also build a shelter inside their CAMP, which can also be customized heavily with workshop items.
Fallout 76's CAMP mechanic would fit a Horizon multiplayer spin-off perfectly. Though Horizon's past two maps have been well-populated, a multiplayer game would likely require a much more open overworld, likely leading to fewer settlements dotted around the map. In place of this, players should be able to use a CAMP-like system to create their own bases across the open-world. This would be especially beneficial if players were working together to defeat a huge Machine, as players could drop a base, upgrade their weapons and armor, forge some gadgets, and heal up before the big fight. Some of Horizon's Machines can hit very hard, and having a base to fall back to could be exactly what the game needs to remain fun and fair.