Since the first game launched back in 2017, the Horizon franchise has been one of Sony’s most notable new series. Its incredibly unique world and protagonist Aloy make Horizon a compelling and action-packed franchise to jump into, which makes the prospect of an MMO intriguing.
Being developed by NCSoft, there were rumors at the beginning of the year that the spin-off project had been canceled by Sony. However, after clarification, it appears as though the Horizon MMO is still in development, which leaves a lot of questions to be answered. One of the biggest questions is the game’s setting. So far, the franchise has been solely focused on the West Coast, which could make Fallout 76‘s East Coast setting a great source of inspiration for the MMO.
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The Horizon MMO May Benefit From a Big Setting Change
Fallout 76’s Appalachian Environment Could Be Perfect For Horizon
Fallout 76 is definitely not the first entry in Bethesda’s long-running franchise to be set in the eastern part of the United States, but the choice of Appalachia is an incredibly unique one. The sprawling mountains and landscapes could give NCSoft a lot of room to play around with what a futuristic version of the area may look like. Even if the Horizon MMO doesn’t choose Appalachia as its setting, the eastern part of the country is the best way to set this spin-off apart from the mainline games.
So Far, Horizon Has Been a West Coast Story
- Horizon: Zero Dawn takes place in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona.
- Horizon: Forbidden West takes place in California, Utah, and Nevada.
The western region of the United States offers a vast expanse of terrain for developer Guerrilla Games to explore, but there has yet to be any glimpse into what the East Coast is like. Horizon boasts incredibly unique lore, but so far, its setting has been largely isolated. Also, if NCSoft is aiming to make the MMO a unique experience that has its own identity, retreading old ground may be the wrong move.
Its incredibly unique world and protagonist Aloy make Horizon a compelling and action-packed franchise to jump into.
One of the high points of the Horizon franchise is its beautifully crafted environments, so exploring the West Coast again wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. However, getting the chance to experience a never-before-seen part of Horizon‘s world is likely to ignite even more hype for longtime fans. Horizon is a great franchise for lore lovers, and introducing even more of the game’s world is bound to be a hit.
Guerrilla Games is also working on its own multiplayer Horizon game, titled Horizon Online. As of now, it has not been confirmed how it will differ from NCSoft’s project, but opposite coastal settings could be a good reason for two multiplayer projects in the same franchise.
East Coast Locations That a Horizon MMO Should Explore
- New York City
- Florida
- Washington D.C.
- Boston
- Nova Scotia
Horizon’s MMO Spin-Off is One of Gaming’s Biggest Mysteries Right Now
Now that it seems as though Horizon‘s MMO is still on the table, many fans of the series are awaiting answers. If the game’s development is going according to plan, then there will hopefully be insight offered sometime later this year. However, the project could still be years away from its first reveal. Only time will tell, but after Sony’s recent trend of canceling in-development projects, it will be incredibly intriguing to see why this particular game has been spared.
The Horizon franchise has been pretty successful for Sony. The launch of Forbidden West may have not reached the heights that the company had probably hoped for, but it still holds strong as a notable IP. As the year continues, there may be more insight into NCSoft’s spin-off down the road, and if so, the game’s setting will hopefully be revealed.
