Summary
- Guerrilla Games may be anticipating significant player interest in its upcoming Horizon multiplayer game.
- A recent job listing from Guerrilla suggests the studio is developing live-service systems capable of supporting over one million players for the Horizon multiplayer game.
- Guerrilla may also be taking steps to prevent server issues at launch, similar to those experienced by Helldivers 2.
Guerrilla Games appears to be highly optimistic about the appeal of its forthcoming Horizon multiplayer project. Despite the game not yet being officially unveiled, Guerrilla seems to anticipate a substantial player base for this live-service title.
Since the release of Horizon Forbidden West in 2022 and its Burning Shores DLC the following year, Guerrilla has kept relatively quiet, focusing on smaller projects such as Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered and LEGO Horizon Adventures. However, there have been numerous indications over the years that Guerrilla is diligently working on a Horizon multiplayer game. Job listings dating back to 2018 have hinted at this project, and by 2025, its existence seems almost certain.
While the exact announcement date for the Horizon multiplayer project remains uncertain, a recent job posting for a Senior Platform Engineer suggests that Guerrilla has ambitious goals for the game's player base. The job listing's requirements specifically mention "proven experience building and operating multi-service, 1M+ user globally distributed systems across multiple public cloud providers." This indicates that Guerrilla is developing a robust live-service infrastructure capable of supporting over one million players.
Guerrilla Might Be Ensuring a Trouble-Free Launch for the Horizon Multiplayer Game
On the other hand, this high player capacity might not just be an expectation but also a precautionary measure to ensure a smooth onboarding process for players. The overwhelming server issues faced by Helldivers 2 shortly after its launch on PS5 and PC serve as a cautionary tale. To avoid similar problems, Guerrilla might be preparing to handle a large influx of players right from the start. While it's uncertain whether the Horizon multiplayer game will achieve the same level of success as Helldivers 2, Guerrilla's preparedness is commendable.
Given that the Horizon multiplayer game has been in development for several years, and assuming there are no significant setbacks, Guerrilla could be on the verge of revealing this live-service title in the near future. A few months ago, another Guerrilla job listing hinted at a potential 2025 release for a new Horizon game. With the third mainline Horizon entry still some time away, it's likely that the 2025 release could be the Horizon multiplayer project.
