Guerrilla Games' Horizon Multiplayer: Ambitious Player Count or Preemptive Measures?
A recent Guerrilla Games job listing suggests the studio anticipates significant player interest in its upcoming, unannounced Horizon multiplayer game. The listing's requirements, specifically mentioning experience with "1M+ user globally distributed systems," hints at a potential player base exceeding one million. This could reflect high confidence in the game's appeal or a proactive approach to prevent server issues at launch.
Since Horizon Forbidden West's release in 2022 and its Burning Shores DLC, Guerrilla has remained relatively quiet, focusing on collaborations for projects like Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered and LEGO Horizon Adventures. However, evidence suggesting a Horizon multiplayer game has been in development for years, with job listings dating back to 2018 hinting at its existence.
While the official announcement remains pending, the job listing's focus on scalable infrastructure strongly suggests a large-scale online experience is planned. The need for systems capable of handling over one million concurrent users indicates either exceptionally high expectations for player engagement or a cautious strategy to avoid server strain at launch, similar to the issues experienced by Helldivers 2.
This preventative approach is understandable, given the potential for overwhelming server demand. While Helldivers 2's success isn't guaranteed to be replicated, Guerrilla's preparedness is commendable.
Considering the game's extended development period and a previous job listing suggesting a new Horizon release in 2025, the multiplayer title is a strong contender for that launch window. Assuming development progresses smoothly, a reveal within 2025 seems increasingly likely.
