Quick Read
- Horizon Steel Frontiers is an MMO based on the Horizon PlayStation series, developed by NCSoft and Guerrilla Games for PC and mobile.
- Set in the Deadlands, inspired by Arizona and New Mexico, players will hunt machines, choose factions, and engage in resource competition.
- The game features cross-platform progression between PC and mobile, but is not coming to PlayStation 5 at launch.
- Combat introduces new mechanics: climbing machines, setting traps, and using dropped weapons, with deep crafting and resource management.
- No release date has been announced; pre-alpha gameplay footage was shown at G-Star 2025.
Horizon Steel Frontiers: A New Era for the Horizon Franchise
The Horizon series, renowned for its stunning landscapes and epic battles against towering robotic dinosaurs, is crossing new boundaries. Guerrilla Games and NCSoft have officially unveiled Horizon Steel Frontiers, an ambitious MMORPG set in the rich universe familiar to millions of players. But this time, the adventure takes place not on PlayStation consoles, but on PC and mobile platforms—a shift that’s already sparking conversation.
Announced at G-Star 2025 via a ten-minute developer commentary, Steel Frontiers is more than just another entry in a beloved franchise. It’s a bold experiment in transforming the single-player, story-driven formula into a living, breathing online world where thousands of players will share the same frontier.
Setting the Stage: The Deadlands and Beyond
Steel Frontiers is set in the Deadlands, an environment inspired by the dramatic vistas of Arizona and New Mexico. Players will find themselves navigating an open world that’s both lush and desolate, filled with remnants of a lost civilization and the ever-present threat of mechanical beasts. The visual fidelity, even in pre-alpha footage, hints at a game world designed to immerse players in every detail—from sun-bleached ruins to overgrown forests teeming with danger.
Guerrilla Studio Director Jan-Bart van Beek emphasized that the Deadlands are not just a backdrop, but a dynamic space where thousands of ‘machine hunters’ will interact. Sometimes, players will join forces to take down colossal machines; other times, they’ll compete for resources or clash with rival tribes. The sense of scale and the promise of emergent player-driven stories are at the heart of the MMO’s appeal.
Machine Hunting, Faction Warfare, and Gameplay Innovations
At its core, Steel Frontiers retains the signature thrill of hunting massive machines—a concept executive producer Sung-Gu Lee distilled to “the thrill of taking down colossal machines.” But the MMO format brings fresh mechanics and strategic depth. Players can fully customize their machine hunter, choosing from several factions, including the Nota, Tenakth, Utaru, and Oseram. Each faction offers unique abilities, visual styles, and perhaps distinct approaches to combat and resource management.
Combat has evolved beyond its single-player roots. Now, after damaging specific parts of a machine, players can climb onto it using a Pullcaster, set traps on exposed components, and inflict status effects. The ability to pick up weapons dropped by machines, carry them to your mount, and use them in subsequent battles adds tactical variety. The arsenal spans greatswords, dual swords, bows, and more, with skill moves reminiscent of action RPGs like Monster Hunter. There’s even a resource management and crafting system, promising depth for those who love to tinker and optimize.
Mounts are another highlight. Players can ride, fly, and leap across the Deadlands, even jumping from their mount onto a Tallneck for a vertical advantage. The grappling hook offers dynamic movement, letting hunters swing from post to post or grapple onto airborne machines. These features combine to create a gameplay loop that’s fast-paced, strategic, and visually spectacular.
Cross-Platform Play, Accessibility, and Community
One of Steel Frontiers’ most notable features is its cross-play and progression between PC and mobile. This means your progress and character are persistent, whether you’re playing at home or on the go. The PC version is launching exclusively on NCSoft’s proprietary Purple launcher, though past NCSoft titles have eventually reached platforms like Steam—a move that could expand the game’s audience if repeated here.
For now, PlayStation 5 users are left out, a surprising decision given the franchise’s origins. The developers haven’t ruled out future console releases, but the initial focus is clear: making Steel Frontiers accessible to the widest possible audience through PC and mobile. The hope is to foster a vibrant community where players can connect, cooperate, and compete in new ways.
Development, Licensing, and Industry Context
The collaboration between Guerrilla Games and NCSoft is a meeting of industry heavyweights. NCSoft, known for hits like Guild Wars 2 and the Lineage series, brings MMO expertise to the table, while Guerrilla Games ensures that the project remains true to the Horizon brand’s visual and narrative identity. The game is developed under license from Sony, signaling a significant partnership and a vote of confidence in NCSoft’s capabilities.
This announcement comes amidst industry intrigue. The existence of another MMO project, Light of Motiram, and legal action by Sony against Tencent for creating a similar clone, have placed Steel Frontiers under intense scrutiny. The developers have clarified that Steel Frontiers is an entirely separate project, built from the ground up with Guerrilla’s direct involvement.
While no release window has been announced, the reveal of pre-alpha gameplay footage suggests that development is progressing steadily, but fans should temper expectations for a launch date in the near future.
The Road Ahead: Community, Innovation, and Franchise Evolution
As Steel Frontiers heads toward launch, players and industry watchers alike are eager to see how the MMO will evolve. Will it capture the magic of the mainline Horizon games while offering something truly new for fans of online worlds? The inclusion of faction-based gameplay, advanced combat mechanics, and cross-platform progression sets the stage for a potentially groundbreaking experience.
Yet, questions remain. How many players will share the world at once? What monetization model will NCSoft and Sony choose—free-to-play or premium? How will the game’s design balance accessibility for mobile users with the depth expected by PC gamers? These uncertainties are part of the journey, and they’re fueling anticipation across the gaming community.
For now, Steel Frontiers stands as a testament to the Horizon franchise’s enduring appeal and its willingness to push boundaries. The blend of cutting-edge technology, open world exploration, and social interaction could set a new standard for MMO design in 2025 and beyond.
Steel Frontiers represents a pivotal moment for the Horizon series—merging beloved gameplay with the scale and dynamism of MMOs. By embracing cross-platform play and deep customization, it has the potential to reach new audiences and redefine what fans expect from the franchise. Whether this gamble pays off will depend on the execution and the community’s response, but the ambition is unmistakable.