Horizon Steel Frontiers: Explore the Deadlands

Introduction

The Horizon franchise continues to evolve, and Horizon Steel Frontiers represents its boldest leap yet—an MMORPG crafted through the combined efforts of Guerrilla Games and the Korean video game company NCSoft, one of the biggest names in the world of MMORPGs. The game’s announcement video showcases an ambitious vision: a persistent online frontier filled with colossal machines, dangerous terrain, and rival tribes competing or cooperating for survival. As highlighted in developer interviews, the main focus is to deliver a new combat experience that blends action-RPG intensity with MMO-scale encounters.

What is Horizon Steel Frontiers?

Horizon Steel Frontiers aims to merge Horizon’s signature machine-hunting gameplay with large-scale multiplayer systems. Designed mobile-first and powered by NCSoft’s proprietary game platform, the game introduces a frontier where players forge their own journeys while interacting with thousands of others.

Key facts at a glance

• It is developed by NCSoft in collaboration with Guerrilla Games (the studio behind the original Horizon titles).
• The game is built for mobile first (iOS & Android) and PC via NCSoft’s PURPLE platform.
• It will be free-to-play.
• The setting is a new region called the Deadlands (also referenced as “Deathlands” in some sources).
• A release date has not yet been announced.

Are there any gameplay trailers or official reveals for Horizon Steel Frontiers?

Yes. Horizon Steel Frontiers has an official reveal trailer showcasing early gameplay, character customization, machine battles, and the Deadlands environment. The announcement video highlights the MMO’s cooperative hunts, tribal identity, and mobile-first design, offering the first real look at how players will experience the Horizon universe online.

When is the expected release date for Horizon Steel Frontiers?

As of now, Horizon Steel Frontiers does not have an official release date. Sony and NCSoft confirmed the project is still in active development, and early industry expectations suggest the MMORPG may launch sometime after 2025, depending on testing phases and global rollout plans.

Setting & Narrative: The Deadlands Frontier

The action of Horizon Steel Frontiers takes place in a region dubbed the “Deadlands” (or “Deathlands”), described as a frontier inspired by parts of Arizona and New Mexico in the United States.

In this new frontier, players will take on the role of machine hunters—a departure from the single-player narrative of previous Horizon games, where the protagonist was predetermined (e.g., Aloy). In Steel Frontiers, players craft their own character and carve out their destiny in a shared world where thousands of others roam.

As of now, there have not been any official gameplay trailers or reveals specifically for Horizon Steel Frontiers. Fans looking forward to gameplay footage or detailed announcements should keep an eye on official PlayStation and Guerrilla Games channels for future updates.

This approach allows the game to blend familiar themes of humanity vs. nature vs. technology (central to the Horizon series) with larger-scale multiplayer systems: cooperation, competition, resource conflicts, and tribe versus tribe encounters. While there have been many rumors and discussions regarding Horizon Steel Frontiers, as of now, there are no official gameplay trailers or reveals available. Fans are eagerly anticipating more details from the developers.

Gameplay & Features: What to Expect

Hunting-Action Evolved

Steel Frontiers emphasises precision: players can target a specific part of a machine, break a damaged part, and use it strategically during subsequent fights. This mechanic adds tactical depth, rewarding teamwork and timing.

Character Identity & Progression

A fully expanded character customization system allows players to define their appearance, tribe, and role in the Deadlands. These personalised hunters become the core of a player's journey across Korea’s largest MMO technological landscape, enhanced by NCSoft’s expertise.

Social, Competitive, and Cooperative Play

As an online frontier, Steel Frontiers blends collaboration with conflict. Large hunts require coordinated tactics, where groups must rely on a mix of cooperation to bring down enormous mechanical threats. Meanwhile, rival tribes may compete for scarce resources, glory, or regional influence.

A Fresh Direction for the Horizon Franchise

Moving the series into the live-service arena allows Sony and NCSoft to bring the Horizon world to broader audiences. By embracing mobile, PC, and advanced online infrastructure built in Korea, the developers aim to redefine what a Horizon experience can be.

Why This Matters for the Horizon Franchise

The introduction of Horizon Steel Frontiers represents a significant shift for the Horizon franchise, which up to now has been defined by single-player action-RPG experiences (for example Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West). While details are still emerging, there has been no official confirmation regarding whether Horizon Steel Frontiers will be available on consoles like PS5 or if it will be limited to PC and mobile platforms. Fans should stay tuned for updates from the developers about supported platforms.

Expanding the audience

By launching a mobile-first, cross-platform MMORPG, Sony and NCSoft aim to reach players beyond console and PC exclusives. This aligns with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s broader strategy to “expand beyond console”.

Social & live-service pivot

The move into an MMO marks Horizon’s transition into a more social, ongoing game-services model, rather than a closed single-player narrative. The ability to interact with many other players, join tribes, compete for resources—all of that points to Horizon becoming a shared world franchise.

Leveraging NCSoft’s MMO experience

NCSoft brings decades of MMO-experience (with titles like Lineage and Guild Wars) to the partnership. This helps assure fans that the live-service mechanics may be handled by a seasoned team rather than a newcomer to the genre.

Questions and Considerations

While the reveal of Horizon Steel Frontiers is exciting, there are some open questions and industry-context factors worth bearing in mind.

Franchise purists & reaction

Some fans of the Horizon series may be cautious about the shift to mobile and live service. The new game departs from the mainline console narrative formula and introduces heavier multiplayer elements. Whether this will resonate with core fans remains to be seen.

Monetisation and live-service model

As a free-to-play MMORPG on mobile, monetisation strategy (micro-transactions, battle passes, cosmetics, expansions) will inevitably come under scrutiny. The balance between monetisation and a fair player experience will matter.

Previous rumours and cancellations

Interestingly, prior to this announcement there were rumours that a Horizon MMO had been cancelled at NCSoft. While this appears to refer to a different project (codenamed “Project H”), it underscores the challenges of launching live-service titles in the Horizon universe. It will be critical for Sony/NCSoft to navigate those pitfalls well.

What to Watch For Next

Here’s what fans and interested players should keep an eye on in the coming months:

• Release date and regional availability: When will Horizon Steel Frontiers launch, and in which regions? Will it launch globally or region-by-region?
• Platform details: Will the game launch on consoles (e.g., PlayStation 5), or will it remain mobile/PC only?
• Gameplay deep-dive: More specifics on tribe systems, PvP modes, progression, end-game, raid design, world events.
• Monetisation structure: How free-to-play will be handled; will there be “pay-to-win” concerns; what kinds of cosmetic/expansion content will be offered?
• Cross-play and cross-platform: Support for cross-play between mobile and PC; cloud-saving; shared progression.
• Live-service content roadmap: What will the update cadence look like? How will the big mechanical machines evolve post-launch?
• Community and social tools: Guilds or tribal alliances, social hubs, shared world events and meta-systems.

Will Horizon Steel Frontiers be available on consoles like PS5 or only on PC and mobile?

Currently, Horizon Steel Frontiers has only been confirmed for PC through NCSoft’s PURPLE platform and for mobile devices on iOS and Android. Sony has not announced a PS5 or console version yet, leaving open the possibility of future expansion depending on development progress and demand.

Conclusion

Horizon Steel Frontiers promises to bring a bold new direction for the Horizon franchise—melding the thrill of hunting massive machines with the scale and social dynamics of an MMORPG, accessible on mobile and PC. For fans of the series, it’s a chance to step into the Deadlands and carve a new path as a machine hunter in a vast online frontier. For newcomers, it offers an entry point into one of gaming’s most visually striking universes.

The success of the game will depend on how well it retains the identity of Horizon—its sense of wonder, scale, and story—while functioning as a live-service multiplayer experience. If the collaboration between Sony and NCSoft yields a polished, fair, expansive world, Horizon Steel Frontiers could redefine what the franchise can become.

Stay tuned for further announcements, trailers, and details as this exciting frontier opens up.