00:00PlayStation may be quietly testing the waters on the future of one of its biggest franchises,
00:05and it's doing it in a way that's subtle enough to fly under the radar if you're not
00:09paying attention.
00:10Recently reports began circulating that Sony has been sending out surveys to select players
00:15asking about their interest in something called Horizon Hunters Gathering, and while that
00:21name alone hasn't been officially announced or explained, it immediately sparks a lot
00:26of questions about where the Horizon series could be heading next.
00:29This isn't a trailer drop, this isn't a blog post, and it isn't a stage presentation
00:34moment.
00:35This is Sony going directly to players behind the scenes to feel out an idea before committing
00:40to it, and that alone makes this worth talking about.
00:44What's important to understand right away is that Horizon Hunters Gathering is not a
00:49confirmed game.
00:50There's no release window, no platforms listed, and no official acknowledgement from Guerilla
00:55Games or PlayStation Studios.
00:57What we do know is that surveys like this are usually set when a concept is still being
01:02evaluated, when a publisher wants to understand player appetite before moving forward.
01:07Sony isn't asking whether people like Horizon as a franchise, they already know that answer.
01:13They're specifically asking about interest in a project with a very deliberate title, and
01:18that wording strongly suggests a shift in format rather than another traditional single-player
01:23sequel.
01:25The name itself does a lot of heavy lifting.
01:28Hunters implies a focus on combat encounters, tracking, preparation, and teamwork.
01:34Gathering implies multiple players coming together, whether that's in a shared space, a hub, or
01:40coordinated missions.
01:41This does not sound like Horizon Zero Dawn or Horizon Forbidden West, which are deeply narrative-driven,
01:47solitary experiences centered on Aloy's journey through a carefully structured open world.
01:53Instead, this sounds like a spin-off concept, potentially designed around co-op play, repeatable
01:58activities, or a more systemic approach to gameplay rather than a tightly scripted story.
02:04One of the most obvious comparisons people are already making is to Monster Hunter, and honestly,
02:10it's not a stretch.
02:12Horizon's machines are already designed like boss encounters with specific weak points, attack
02:17patterns, elemental resistance, and mechanical behaviors that reward preparation and strategy.
02:23Translating that into a cooperative hunting format where players work together to take down
02:28large machines actually makes a lot of sense on paper.
02:31The Horizon universe is already built for that kind of gameplay loop, and it's something
02:36fans have casually discussed for years whenever co-op comes up as a hypothetical feature.
02:43Another likely possibility is a hub-based multiplayer experience where players gather in a central
02:49location from parties, accept contracts or missions, and venture out into contained zones to complete
02:55objectives.
02:55This would allow Sony to build something scalable, something that could evolve over time without
03:01needing to match the massive scope and budget of a full mainline horizon entry.
03:05It would also align with Sony's broader interest in expanding into games that encourage long-term
03:11engagement without necessarily replacing their single-player tentpoles.
03:17And that brings us to the part of this conversation that makes people uneasy.
03:20Sony has been very open over the past few years about its desire to invest in more live service
03:27style projects.
03:28That doesn't automatically mean aggressive monetization or battle passes, but it does mean
03:33games designed with longevity, retention, and ongoing content in mind.
03:38Horizon is one of Sony's safest brands to experiment with because it has strong recognition, a rich
03:44world, and an audience that already understands its systems.
03:48Sending out a survey instead of making an announcement suggests Sony knows that it's a delicate move and
03:54wants to measure reaction before taking the next step.
03:59The survey itself is arguably the most important part of this entire story.
04:03When publishers send out surveys like this, they're not just asking whether people would
04:07buy the game.
04:08They're trying to understand expectations, tolerance, and enthusiasm.
04:13They want to know whether fans would accept a Horizon experience that doesn't revolve around
04:18Aloy, whether multiplayer is seen as exciting or unnecessary, and how much goodwill the franchise
04:24has outside of its traditional format.
04:27Depending on how these responses come back, the project could move forward aggressively, be reshaped
04:33into something smaller, or be quietly shelved altogether.
04:37For long-time Horizon fans, the question isn't whether experimentation is bad.
04:42The spin-offs have existed forever, and some of the best franchises in gaming have benefited
04:47from trying new ideas alongside their main entries.
04:50The concern only really appears if a project like Horizon Hunter's Gathering begins to pull
04:56focus, resources, or identity away from what Horizon does best.
05:00The series earned its reputation through strong worldbuilding, compelling character work, and
05:06carefully paced storytelling.
05:08As long as those core experiences remain intact and prioritized, a side project can exist
05:14without threatening the franchise's foundation.
05:18If Hunter's Gathering ends up being a focused, well-designed co-op experience that complements
05:23the mainline games rather than compete with them, it could actually be a smart expansion
05:28of the Horizon universe.
05:29But if it feels like an attempt to chase trends at the expense of what made the series special,
05:34that's where fans are going to push back hard.
05:37Sony knows this, which is exactly why this conversation is happening in survey form instead
05:42of on a big stage.
05:45At this point, Horizon Hunter's Gathering is just a name attached to an idea, but it's a revealing one.
05:51It tells us that Sony is actively exploring how far the Horizon brand can stretch, what players
05:56are willing to accept, and how the future of the franchise might evolve beyond traditional
06:01single-player releases.
06:03Whether that turns into something exciting or something unnecessary will come down entirely
06:08to execution, restraint, and respect for what Horizon already is.
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06:35Thanks for watching, and as always, Game On!
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