Without much fanfare, Sony dropped a brand-new game announcement today on its blog. Dubbed Horizon Hunters Gathering, it"s a cooperative monster hunting game being developed by Guerrilla Games, the first-party PlayStation studio that"s responsible for action series like Horizon and Killzone.
Ditching the single-player formula of the previous games, this Horizon entry lets up to three players join together to go on replayable robot hunts. "Combat is tactical, reactive, and deeply skill-based, building on the tactical precision of the Horizon games while embracing the dynamics of team play," said the game"s design director, Arjan Bak.
Each hunter that players can pick, aside from being melee or ranged, will come with unique abilities. Moreover, as a round goes on, the rogue-lite perk system comes into play, letting players build their character however they want using what they discover. There will also be multiple game modes to jump into, including wave-based battles and large arenas with boss battles and secrets.
The game is being developed for both PlayStation 5 and PC platforms, with features like cross-play and cross-progression already confirmed for the title. It sounds like this will be a multiplatform release at launch. Xbox was not mentioned today, however.
"Between missions, you’ll return to Hunters Gathering: a vibrant social hub where players can connect, prepare, and celebrate victories together," adds the studio. "Here, you can customize your Hunters, visit vendors, upgrade gear, and team up for your next adventure."
Guerrilla is planning to kick off a closed playtest for Horizon Hunters Gathering later this month. Interested players can sign up for the PlayStation Beta Program to get a chance at joining in. These will be running across both PC and PlayStation platforms.
It doesn"t look like the game will be coming out anytime soon, though. The studio calls today"s announcement and trailer an early look at the multiplayer experience. It confirmed that more development updates and playtests will be coming later.