Horizon: Zero Dawn burst onto the scene in 2017 as a jaw-dropping open-world action RPG developed by Guerrilla Games. Finding instantaneous success as the PS4's best selling new IP, Horizon: Zero Dawn became an instant classic, and rumors about a sequel began almost immediately upon release of the original. Three years have passed since the launch of the game, and it's becoming increasingly clear that a new game in the series is under development and on the way, thanks to rumors and leaks aplenty.
Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 will have big shoes to fill. The original is regarded as one of the best PS4 games available, thanks to its amazing setting, a story with many surprises, and entertaining gameplay. The open-world action RPG seems to have set a high bar, so its sequel will have to jump even higher.
The magic of Horizon: Zero Dawn is in the setting. It takes place a few hundred years in the future where nature has retaken the planet. The game has a Western feel to it, with wide open plains, snowy mountainous regions, and deep forests. Aloy is the protagonist, and she and her tribe have a pre-colonial America vibe to them, even as robotic dinosaur-like monsters roam the world. Horizon: Zero Dawn reviewed incredibly well, and players have been itching for more since the moment they put down their DualShock 4.
Even without all the leaks and rumors that have spilled out about Horizon: Zero Dawn 2, it seemed obvious that a sequel would be on the way. Sony would have to be crazy to not take advantage of the sales numbers of Horizon: Zero Dawn by continuing the franchise. Luckily for fans, however, the leaks and rumors seem to point to more than just speculation about a new game, as it is likely that Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 is in development.
Job Listings by Guerrilla Games
Beyond purely hypothesizing, one of the most obvious tells that a game is in development is job listings. In July of last year, 60 job listings were posted by Guerrilla, including senior writers, AI programmers, and 3D character artists. Each posting hinted at various elements of the new Guerrilla game, and 60 postings all at once certainly suggest that a new game is in development, not simply DLC.
An additional posting asking for a technical vegetation artist popped up online only a few months later. The new team member would be tasked with creating foliage in an open world. And to double down on the fact that the game in development is probably the next title in Aloy's adventures, the listing specifically mentions "world of Horizon."
Job listings have continued to trickle out by Guerrilla Games. With robotic creatures being a mainstay in the series, a lead animator with proficiency in animating animals would be needed for Horizon: Zero Dawn 2. That job posting popped up only in April, which could indicate that the developer is past some of the early stages of development and looking for detailed animation for the critters and beasts in the game.
The most recent listing by Guerrilla was instantly taken down. While the post didn't specifically point to Horizon, the curious fact that it was taken down so quickly is something to be noted; it was a senior AI programming role was for an unannounced PS5 game. The fact that Guerrilla isn't officially working on anything for the PlayStation 5 is probably why it was taken down, and that PS5 game could easily be Horizon: Zero Dawn 2.
Horizon: Zero Dawn Sequel on the PS5, Perhaps at Launch
With the official reveal of the PS5Â right around the corner, it's pretty obvious that a new Horizon: Zero Dawn would land on the shiny new console. But many wonder when the game could be ready. When rumors were a flurry about a PS5 reveal in February, Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 was mysteriously not mentioned. This could indicate that Sony has many games up its sleeve and wants to save Horizon for a later point, or it could mean that Guerrilla simply won't have the game ready in time.
Other rumors have pointed to the Horizon: Zero Dawn sequel being a launch PS5 game. Quite some time has gone by since February, and if an E3 style show is on the way in lieu of the official yearly E3 conference, Horizon could be ready. With hints that there may not be many PS5 launch games, the publisher could use a heavy-hitting system seller like Horizon: Zero Dawn 2. It has been over three years since the last Guerrilla Games title was launched, that being the original Horizon. The timing feels right for some sort of reveal, and even a release. The last time the developer worked on a franchise it released a new game every two to three years, that series being Killzone.
Once a developer takes care of the base DNA of a title, it's possible to turn around new games in the series rather quickly. The engine is completed, assets can be touched up and reused in creative ways, and the general setting is already in place. Still, even if the game isn't quite ready for 2020, others believe that Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 will be released in 2021.
Horizon: Zero Dawn Trilogy in the Works
Rumors of a new Guerrilla RPG being in development popped up as early as 2018, only a year after the release of the initial game. With the success of the first, the common assumption was that the new RPG would be a sequel to Horizon: Zero Dawn. However, Sony and Guerrilla Games may have higher aspirations than even that.
Apparently, a trilogy for Horizon: Zero Dawn is the works, and the sequel has a gigantic scope. Often times the triumph of the first game in a series will open the doors for not just a continuation of the new IP, but a trilogy. Games like the new Tomb Raider and Rocksteady's Arkham series followed this path. While the first Horizon ended with an opening for more games, it's likely that Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 will have a story that will be directly tied to what will come in the third title, and the anticipation for that third game would be immense.
Story, Graphics, and Multiplayer in Horizon: Zero Dawn 2
The same rumors that suggest a Horizon: Zero Dawn trilogy also point to the sequel being massive in scale. The new game would be much larger than the original, allowing players to explore a vast open world with freedom. Guerrilla seems to be working hard on the story of the sequel as well, as a prominent voice actor teased Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 by saying that the secrets that she knows will "make fans die." The information provided by Janina Gavinkar, who voices the hot-headed Tatai in the original, probably wasn't supposed to be shared. But it does confirm that the sequel is probably the works and that there may be shocking twists and turns within the plot.
The original title was absolutely stunning visually, but the sequel is apparently upping the ante in that department as well. Groundbreaking graphics will be at the forefront of Horizon: Zero Dawn 2, according to another job posting. It looks like the developer is shooting for "industry-benchmark" graphics with "stunning environments." The PS5 and Xbox Series x will certainly be going head to head in the aesthetics department, a game like Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 on the PS5 could be the feather in Sony's cap to prove the new console's chops.
While the core experience of the original Horizon Zero Dawn was designed for single-player action, the game still had some social features such as using photo mode and the ability to share them with friends. However, there was no multiplayer mode in the game, but that could be changing with the sequel.
Horizon Zero Dawn 2 may have a multiplayer mode of some sort, as Guerrilla was looking for a senior game programmer with experience in multiplayer. It's possible that this job is for a different game entirely, like a reboot of Killzone. But with so many postings seemingly obviously pointed to a Horizon sequel, it's likely that this listing was indeed for Horizon: Zero Dawn 2. Standard team deathmatch affairs don't feel like the best fit for the series, but it's possible that very creative multiplayer modes are in development.
A co-op feature was almost a part of the original Horizon: Zero Dawn, as the game seems like a natural fit for buddying up and hunting down Stormbirds and Fire Bellowbacks together. Whether or not a co-op mode would work within the story of the game is another thing entirely. It may also be possible that PVE style modes could be in development, where players are working together to hunt, ala Monster Hunter. There are many possibilities for inventive multiplayer experiences within the sequel.
With the undeniable success of the original, there are many features that players would love to see in Horizon: Zero Dawn 2. Among the hopes are a bigger map, more monsters, possible co-op elements, and of course the game taking advantage of the full power of the PS5. Many of these desires are hinted at with all of the leaks that have come forth so far. And while these rumors should be taken with a grain of salt until the game is officially revealed, it seems more and more likely that Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 is on the way.
Horizon: Zero Dawn 2Â is rumored to be in development.
MORE:Â Official PlayStation Magazine Clarifies Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 Rumors
