Guerrilla Games Has Huge Ambitions for Horizon Multiplayer Game

Guerrilla Games' Horizon Multiplayer: A Million-Player Ambition or a Preemptive Strike?

Guerrilla Games' upcoming Horizon multiplayer game is generating considerable buzz, with recent indications suggesting either incredibly high player expectations or a proactive approach to avoid launch-day server issues. A recent job listing for a Senior Platform Engineer reveals a requirement for experience with "1M+ user globally distributed systems." This strongly suggests either a prediction of over one million players or, alternatively, a strategy to prevent server overload similar to that experienced by Helldivers 2 at launch.

Since Horizon Forbidden West's release in 2022 and its Burning Shores DLC, Guerrilla has remained relatively quiet, focusing on collaborations like Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered and LEGO Horizon Adventures. However, whispers of a Horizon multiplayer game have persisted since at least 2018, fueled by various job listings. The game's existence remains virtually confirmed.

While the official announcement remains pending, the job listing's emphasis on a massive, globally distributed system strongly hints at Guerrilla's ambitious player count target. The studio is clearly investing in robust live-service infrastructure to support this anticipated influx of players.

However, the need for such a robust system could also be a precautionary measure. The disastrous server issues that plagued Helldivers 2's launch, due to unexpectedly high player numbers, serve as a cautionary tale. Guerrilla may be prioritizing a smooth launch experience to avoid similar setbacks, regardless of the actual player count.

Given the game's years-long development and a previous job listing hinting at a new Horizon title's 2025 release, this multiplayer project is a strong contender for that launch window. Assuming development is progressing smoothly, a reveal in 2025 seems increasingly likely.