The next entry in PlayStation’s Horizon franchise might be right around the corner, as NCSoft has announced plans to see its MMORPG spin-off, Horizon Steel Frontiers, launch in the first half of 2027.
The publisher announced the news in its latest Investor Relations PowerPoint presentation. Buried on a slide detailing its upcoming game pipeline, Horizon Steel Frontiers can be seen leading its portfolio with plans to launch in the first half of next year.
Should the release timeline stick, it’ll mean Sony’s franchise could receive its next installment in as soon as one year. Meanwhile, PlayStation and developer Guerrilla Games’ other multiplayer offshoot, Horizon Hunters Gathering, still remains without a release date.
While Guerrilla’s game is still searching for a place on the calendar to bring PC and PlayStation 5 players tactical co-op action, NCSoft has promised that Horizon Steel Frontiers will be a mobile-first experience that will introduce fans to an MMO take on the series. Announced in November 2025, this is a multiplayer-centric experience that seems to put Aloy’s story on the back burner to follow machine hunters in the Deadlands.
Players will work with and against one another, with its reveal video showing some of the Monster Hunter-like action to expect. Although the MMORPG spin-off is being developed with mobile devices in mind, PC players will also be able to play through NCSoft’s game platform, Purple.
PlayStation started its Horizon franchise with Horizon Zero Dawn for the PS4 in 2017. Its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, followed in 2022, and the franchise has exploded with new entries since. Horizon: Call of the Mountain, a VR game, launched in 2023, with Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered and Lego Horizon Adventures then both launching in 2024. Horizon Hunters Gathering and Horizon Steel Frontiers are only the latest games to expand on Sony’s growing franchise.
While we wait to see when exactly the latter will launch, you can read IGN’s full breakdown for its reveal trailer. You can also check out our interview with NCSoft to learn more about its connections to the franchise and its gameplay.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
