Horizon MMO Canceled by NCSoft

NCSoft Scraps Horizon MMORPG "Project H"

News broke on January 13, 2025, via South Korean news outlet MTN, that NCSoft has canceled several projects, including a highly anticipated Horizon MMORPG codenamed "H." This decision follows a company-wide "feasibility review." The cancellation of "Project H" is further substantiated by the departure of key developers and the removal of the project from NCSoft's organizational chart. Another project, codenamed "J," also met the same fate, while "Pantera" (or "Raising Lineage") remains under evaluation. No official statement has been released by NCSoft or Sony regarding this development. The future of "Project H" and the possibility of another developer picking up the project remains uncertain.

Guerrilla Games' Separate Horizon Online Project Remains Active

Meanwhile, Guerrilla Games continues its work on a separate, internally developed Horizon multiplayer game, referred to as the "Online Project." Announced in December 2022, this project, distinct from NCSoft's cancelled effort, is actively recruiting developers. Recent job postings, including one for a Senior Combat Designer in November 2023 and another for a Senior Platform Engineer in January 2025, highlight the game's ambitious scope, suggesting a large-scale multiplayer experience targeting over one million players. These postings detail the development of unique machines designed to challenge groups of players, and the need for a robust, globally distributed infrastructure.

Sony and NCSoft's Strategic Partnership

The cancellation of "Project H" comes amidst Sony Interactive Entertainment's (SIE) newly formed strategic partnership with NCSoft, announced November 28, 2023. This collaboration aims to leverage NCSoft's technological expertise and SIE's global reach to expand PlayStation's presence beyond consoles. While the Horizon MMORPG is no longer in development with NCSoft, this partnership opens doors for future collaborations and potentially bringing other Sony titles to mobile platforms.

In summary, while NCSoft's Horizon MMORPG has been cancelled, Guerrilla Games' separate online project continues to progress, suggesting that the Horizon universe will still see a multiplayer expansion in the future, albeit under different development. The implications of the Sony-NCSoft partnership remain to be seen.