New Horizon game announced: Guerrilla surprises with Horizon Hunters Gathering, a Monster Hunter-like co-op action game for PS5 and PC

(Image credit: Guerrilla Games)

Out of nowhere and seemingly determined to steal the spotlight from the Nintendo Direct that just wrapped up, a new Horizon game – Horizon Hunters Gathering – has been announced, bringing a Monster Hunter-flavored co-op action twist to the series.

Revealed on the PlayStation Blog, Horizon Hunters Gathering is being developed by Guerrilla Games for both PS5 and PC. Game director Arjan Bak says it "lets up to three players team up as heroic Hunters to protect a world under threat from deadly machines. Combat is tactical, reactive, and deeply skill-based, building on the tactical precision of the Horizon games while embracing the dynamics of team play."

Horizon Hunters Gathering - Announcement Trailer | PS5 Games - YouTube

Watch On

So far, two game modes have been revealed – Machine Incursion and Cauldon Descent. Both of these will be playable "in our upcoming closed playtest through the PlayStation Beta Program on PS5 and PC," which is coming at the end of this month. The former mode will see you take on waves of machines led by a boss, all pouring out from "underground gateways," while the latter is described as a "multi-stage trial in which ever-changing rooms push Hunters to their limits, from brutal machine encounters to hidden doors that promise power and reward for teams prepared to open them."

There'll be a roster of different characters to choose from, all of which will boast "distinct melee or ranged playstyles and weapons." What's more, you'll be able to choose from perks thanks to a roguelite system to fine-tune your builds even more.

Despite being a multiplayer game, there's still going to be a narrative campaign, which is described as "fully canon and its story doesn't stop at launch!" So, make of that what you will.

"On a personal note, this is both an exciting and daunting step for us," Bak writes. "Multiplayer games have always been part of our studio's DNA, and it's where I began my own career. Bringing a co-op hunting experience into the Horizon universe is something we've envisioned for a long time, and we're approaching it with care, ambition, and passion. I hope the coming months give you a sense of the scale and complexity of what we've been building – or better yet, let you experience it yourself in a playtest."

Things are described as being "early on," so it's not clear how long we might be waiting for this one to release. However, if you're interested in playtesting it, you can sign up now to register interest.

Long-rumored Horizon MMORPG is officially real, but the monkey's paw curls as it's not coming to PlayStation and is "built specifically for mobile."

CATEGORIES

I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.