Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster & Multiplayer Spinoff Reportedly Coming [UPDATED]

A remaster or remake of 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn is in the works for the PlayStation 5 alongside a possible Horizon multiplayer game, according to recent reports. A number of console exclusives from the previous generation have seen updates since the launch of the PlayStation 5 in 2020, including Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Ghost of Tsushima, and the recently released Last of Us Part 1 PS5 remake.Horizon Zero Dawn was first released on the PlayStation 4 in 2017, with a sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, arriving at the beginning of 2022. Although the latter was also released on PS4, unlike its predecessor (which received a 60FPS upgrade of its own last year), it was built with the PlayStation 5 in mind. Taking advantage of Sony’s new console, Forbidden West featured improved graphics and visuals, as well as a number of unique gameplay flourishes that helped distinguish it from the previous entry, most of them relating to protagonist Aloy’s combat and exploration abilities. A third entry is expected, with Horizon Forbidden West‘s ending setting up a sequel thanks to its open-ended nature.Related: Horizon Forbidden West Expansion Teased By Sylens ActorFirst reported by MP1st, and later corroborated by VGC, it seems as if Horizon Zero Dawn could be next in line for a PS5 upgrade. The initial report by MP1st specifically states that this will be a “remake“, but that it’s unclear if it will be a “built from the ground up” style game along the lines of The Last of Us Part 1. As expected, the report also mentions that the remake will bring Zero Dawn closer to Forbidden West in terms of visuals. In the same article, MP1st echoed an earlier VGC report from 2021 that a standalone Horizon multiplayer game is in development as well. There are ostensibly fewer details regarding that project than there are about the Zero Dawn remake – with customization apparently a focus – but, as VGC has noted, this would align with Sony’s wider content strategy to develop more live service projects.

Rumored Horizon Zero Dawn PS5 Remake Is Already Experiencing Backlash

Although unconfirmed by PlayStation for now, a remake of Horizon Zero Dawn would seem to align with the publisher’s recent approach to PS4 exclusives and upgrading them for the PS5. This approach has yielded a mixed response from players over the last few years, with many bemoaning the price points of these next-gen upgrades, as well as the PS5’s general lack of new console exclusives. Indeed, a backlash to the rumored remake has already started to unfold online, with users taking to Twitter to share their disappointment through memes.

While it’s certainly true that a Horizon Zero Dawn remake could attract new players, it’s easy to understand why these new reports have been met with frustration. Zero Dawn is still a great-looking game and it only released five years ago, making the prospect of a full remake seem like a misallocation of resources. Further still, the PlayStation 5 has been lacking in true new-gen exclusives, with multiple games from the PS4 receiving remasters and upgrades. There is merit to revisiting Horizon Zero Dawn – particularly with the rumored accessibility features in mind – but a full remake may not be the best path forward.

Sources: MP1st, VGC, Twitter, Joe Miller/Twitter