Horizon: Steel Frontiers is NCSOFT and Sony’s New Mobile-First MMORPG

Guerrilla Games and NCSoft have unveiled Horizon: Steel Frontiers, a new MMO adaptation of the PlayStation series known for battling massive robotic dinosaurs in a vibrant post-apocalyptic world. Like its predecessors, the aim is to defeat these machines, but now players can do so as customizable "machine hunters" in an open world inspired by Arizona and New Mexico.

The game, designed for mobile platforms, maintains the series' signature lush landscapes and intricate mechanical creatures. Players can expect mounts that are both flyable and grounded. The gameplay allows for leaping onto Tallnecks from mounts and climbing them strategically. Combat focuses on targeting weak spots, with traps making a return.

New Combat Experience

Sung-Gu Lee, the executive producer, highlighted the game's core concept: "The thrill of taking down colossal machines." He explained that combat in Steel Frontiers will differ from previous games. Players can destroy machine parts, use a Pullcaster to climb onto them, set traps on damaged areas, and apply status effects during battles.

Players will also have the ability to pick up weapons dropped by machines and use them in future fights. This new combat experience is tailored specifically for MMORPGs. The game is set in a region called the Deathlands where players will share the frontier with thousands of others.

Collaborative Gameplay

In this shared world, players may collaborate to defeat machines or compete against rival tribes for resources. Van Beek mentioned that players will be "sharing the frontier with thousands of other players," sometimes working together or competing over resources.

NCSoft, based in Korea, is renowned for titles like Guild Wars 2 and the Lineage series. Their recent releases include Throne and Liberty and Battle Crush, although Battle Crush was discontinued five months after its launch in June 2024.

The Horizon series has achieved significant success globally, selling 38 million copies worldwide. Its popularity even led to a "slavish clone" by Tencent, which resulted in Sony pursuing legal action. However, details about Horizon: Steel Frontiers' release date or pricing model remain undisclosed.