Sony and NCSOFT have officially lifted the curtain on Horizon: Steel Frontiers, a new massively multiplayer online game set in Guerrilla Games’ iconic machine-hunting universe. The project marks the first time the Horizon franchise steps away from its single-player roots to embrace a persistent online world built for thousands of players.
The announcement confirms that Steel Frontiers will launch on PC and mobile devices, supported through NCSOFT’s global platform. Surprisingly, the game will not release on PlayStation 5, despite Horizon being one of Sony’s most recognizable first-party brands. This decision has created immediate discussion among fans, many of whom associate the series closely with Sony’s console identity.
A New Region and a New Direction
Steel Frontiers introduces a fresh setting called the Deadlands, a wide and untamed region inspired by the deserts and canyons of the American Southwest. Massive ruins, hostile machines, and scattered tribes create the foundation for a world designed specifically for online exploration.
Unlike the mainline games, Steel Frontiers allows players to create their own hunter. Character customization appears to be deep, giving players tools to build their identity within the tribe-based social system that defines the new MMO structure. NCSOFT promises large-scale hunts, shared world events, and cooperative encounters that reflect the scale of Horizon’s machine ecosystem.
The reveal trailer showcased enormous machines, dynamic combat encounters, and a focus on group strategies. Players can climb machines, break off weapon components, and use those parts in future battles. These mechanics aim to adapt Horizon’s trademark combat into a multiplayer format without losing its intensity or spectacle.
Designed for Global Access
The most surprising element of the announcement is the game’s platform strategy. Steel Frontiers has been developed specifically for PC, iOS, and Android, a move that places accessibility and global reach at the center of its design.
According to Sony and NCSOFT, the project was created to connect a wide audience, especially in regions where mobile gaming dominates. This direction reflects a broader shift in Sony’s strategy as it explores new formats and larger markets for its first-party IP.
However, the absence of a PlayStation version has left many long-time Horizon fans puzzled. For them, the absence of the PS5 feels like a missing piece in a franchise that has always championed cinematic presentation and cutting-edge hardware.
A Bold Step for the Horizon Franchise
Steel Frontiers represents the most dramatic evolution the series has seen. The world of Horizon has always hinted at vast societies, tribal alliances, and a larger ecosystem of machines and cultures. The MMO format finally allows those ideas to grow beyond a single protagonist’s adventure and into a shared world with living, unpredictable dynamics.
The shift brings opportunity and risk. The MMO space is competitive, and transitioning a beloved console franchise into a mobile-first online world is a delicate balance. Fans will expect the striking visual identity, rich lore, and meaningful combat that define Horizon, even within a more accessible and scalable format.
Early Development and What Comes Next
Steel Frontiers is still in its pre-alpha stage, and NCSOFT says more information will arrive throughout 2026. No release date has been announced, but the scale of the reveal suggests the project is well underway. The official website features early screenshots, concept art, and developer remarks confirming long-term support plans.
If NCSOFT and Sony deliver on their ambitions, Horizon: Steel Frontiers could expand the franchise into a new global audience while offering existing fans a very different way to explore its world. The arrival of large-scale hunts, customizable heroes, and shared tribal politics has the potential to open a new chapter for one of PlayStation’s most recognizable universes.
Whether it will satisfy fans who hoped for a console entry remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Horizon universe is entering its biggest and most social chapter yet.
Dibyasorup Das