Guerilla Games Job Listing Teases MMO Horizon Spin-Off
As players patiently wait for Aloy to draw back her bow to best more mechanical monsters in Horizon Forbidden West, it looks like Guerilla Games is nowhere near done with this futuristic apocalypse just yet. We've all heard about the idea of a Horizon multiplayer, but now, a job listing teases that it's closer than ever.
We first entered Aloy's world in 2017, and with Horizon Zero Dawn being of the best-selling PS4 games of all time, it's no surprise a sequel was quickly greenlit. There's similar hype surrounding Forbidden West, but what comes next? If not something like Horizon Wild North or Horizon Barren East, is the MMO route the right one to take?
What's the Guerilla Games job listing?
Job listings are the best place to keep an eye on where developers are up to. Many clocked onto the Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut thanks to the Sucker Punch site, while Cloud Chamber has teased what's on the way with BioShock, and we constantly keep an eye on the Rockstar page for even a hint of GTA 6.
When it comes to Guerilla Games, it definitely looks like a multiplayer addition to the Horizon name is on the way. As spotted by VGC, Guerilla is looking for a Senior Social Systems Designer, with the developer appealing for someone who has "a passion for player communities and social features", while also being able to "explore creative ways players can connect with others in-game".
The perfect candidate will be expected to "engage players in social interactions to create lasting relationships, and where compatible players can create Guild-like groups to explore together". Hmmm, definitely sounds like an MMO to us. Finally, the job spec adds: "You will work within a core team of multiple designers focused on social systems and player engagements, and take charge to ensure quality feature delivery."
A second listing is recruiting a Senior Game Writer, however, it's unclear whether it's for the same project. Either way, this position is for someone with "Extensive knowledge of stories and narrative design in open-world RPG games, online games, and MMORPGs", with "mission, quest writing and narrative design".
Is Horizon moving into multiplayer?
It all sounds pretty positive that the long-mooted Horizon multiplayer is out there somewhere, but don't expect it anytime soon. VGC reminds us that co-op play was planned for 2017's first game, but was scrapped in production. When it comes to Forbidden West, Guerilla has reiterated it won't have a multiplayer element.
In 2014, concept art emerged that showed off multiplayer battles where players take on the mechanical beasts of this realm. Apparently, Sony wanted to add multiplayer to Forbidden West. Guerilla went against this, with the idea of including multiplayer for either a standalone or a mythical Horizon 3.
Considering players are already vexed that Forbidden West has been delayed, it's probably for the best the developer isn't quickly trying to tack multiplayer on the end - amidst worries of ruining the whole thing or delaying it further. Still, the idea of taking on giant robot dinosaurs in boss raid battles is almost too good to pass up on.