Horizon Hunters Gathering: Everything You Need to Know About Guerrilla's Co-op Action Spin-Off

Horizon has become one of PlayStation's most valuable franchises. With Horizon Zero Dawn reshaping open-world action games back in 2017 and Horizon Forbidden West pushing PS5's capabilities, the series has earned its place alongside God of War and Spider-Man as a system seller. But here's where things get interesting: Guerrilla Games isn't content with just mainline sequels. They're branching out into multiplayer territory with Horizon Hunters Gathering, a cooperative action game that strips away the open world and focuses purely on tactical, team-based hunts.

This spin-off represents a significant shift in how Guerrilla approaches the Horizon universe. Instead of the methodical, single-player exploration and machine-combat puzzles that defined the mainline games, Hunters Gathering embraces a Monster Hunter-style gameplay loop. You're not exploring vast landscapes or unraveling the mysteries of the old world alone. You're teaming up with up to three friends (or playing with AI companions) to tackle increasingly difficult machine encounters.

The announcement came alongside confirmation that closed playtests would begin in early 2025, with the team actively recruiting players to help shape the game's direction before its full launch. This approach reflects a broader industry trend: major publishers are investing heavily in multiplayer experiences because they offer longevity, community engagement, and recurring revenue opportunities that single-player games struggle to match.

What makes Hunters Gathering particularly intriguing is how it respects the Horizon universe while completely reimagining how we experience it. The setting, characters, and machines are canonical to the larger world, but the presentation, gameplay cadence, and mechanical emphasis feel distinctly different. Guerrilla's design philosophy here centers on creating hunts that are challenging, replayable, and deeply dependent on team coordination and individual skill execution.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore everything about Horizon Hunters Gathering: the gameplay mechanics, character systems, what the closed playtest reveals about the game's direction, how it compares to other multiplayer action games, and what players should expect when they jump in. Whether you're a longtime Horizon fan curious about this spinoff or a multiplayer enthusiast wondering if this is worth your time, we've got the deep dive you need.

TL; DR

• Guerrilla's New Multiplayer Entry: Horizon Hunters Gathering is a co-op action spin-off for PS5 and PC launching with closed playtests in early 2025
• Monster Hunter Meets Horizon: Team-based hunts with roguelite progression, tactical combat, and multiple game modes like Machine Incursion and Cauldron Descent
• Character-Driven Gameplay: Expandable roster of hunters with distinct playstyles, melee/ranged weapons, class abilities, and customizable builds
• Canonical Narrative: Features an official campaign with new characters and threats, playable solo with bots or in cooperative multiplayer
• Roguelite Progression System: Dynamic perk system and class selection allow you to shape your hunter's build differently each run for high replayability

PS5 excels in hardware consistency, loading speed, and audio immersion due to its specialized hardware. PC offers greater graphics detail and a larger player base, expanding the game's reach. (Estimated data)

The Horizon Franchise Evolution and Why Hunters Gathering Matters

Understanding Horizon Hunters Gathering requires context about where the Horizon franchise sits in gaming's current landscape. When Guerrilla Games released Horizon Zero Dawn in 2017, the studio was still recovering from the commercial disappointment of Killzone Shadow Fall on PS4. Zero Dawn became a redemption story, proving that Guerrilla could craft compelling narratives, build engaging open worlds, and create combat systems that felt responsive and skill-based.

The game's success came from multiple factors working in concert. The protagonist, Aloy, was a refreshingly complex character wrestling with identity and belonging. The setting blended post-apocalyptic survival with lush, reclaimed nature. The machines felt like genuine threats rather than reskinned enemies, forcing players to think tactically about ammunition types, armor weak points, and positioning. Each machine encounter required preparation and study.

Horizon Forbidden West built on this foundation but leaned harder into the spectacle. Bigger machines, more complex environmental interactions, and a deeper narrative exploring the fate of civilization. The game sold millions of copies and continues to receive player engagement years after launch.

But there's a structural problem with single-player action games at this scale: they have a definable endpoint. Players finish the campaign, maybe tackle some side content, and eventually move on. Publishers and developers need franchises that generate sustained engagement and community activity. That's where multiplayer comes in.

Horizon Hunters Gathering slots into this need perfectly. Guerrilla has spent years perfecting how machines feel to fight against. The combat language—positioning, reading attacks, exploiting weak points, managing ammo—is proven and satisfying. By removing the exploration elements and focusing purely on the hunting loop, the studio can iterate and refine the mechanical depth in ways a single-player game can't support. Every patch, seasonal update, and balance change directly impacts how players approach hunts.

The timing also matters. The multiplayer action space is crowded but not saturated with AAA offerings that combine this specific flavor of gameplay. Monster Hunter World proved there's massive appetite for team-based hunts. Deep Rock Galactic showed indie teams can build thriving communities around cooperative extraction-style missions. Hunters Gathering sits in that intersection: premium production values, a beloved IP, and proven mechanics packaged in a format designed for long-term engagement.

Core Gameplay Loop: Understanding the Hunt Structure

At its heart, Horizon Hunters Gathering centers on the hunt. This isn't exploration or narrative exposition. A hunt is a discrete challenge with clear objectives, defined boundaries, and escalating difficulty. You and your team enter a hunting ground, face waves of machines or specific boss creatures, manage your resources, and attempt to complete the objective before running out of lives or time.

This structure differs fundamentally from traditional Horizon games. In Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, you had entire regions to explore. You could spend an hour in one area just managing your inventory, crafting ammunition, and reading machine behavior. Hunters Gathering strips that away. Before a hunt even begins, you've selected your loadout. You've chosen your class. You know what you're walking into.

The hunt itself is where your preparation meets reality. Early hunts feel almost leisurely, giving you time to understand the machine types and coordinate with teammates. But Guerrilla has emphasized that hunts grow increasingly demanding. Machines gain armor enhancements. New enemy types enter the arena. The arena itself might shift, forcing you to adapt your positioning and strategies.

This design philosophy—tight, replayable encounters with high mechanical depth—explains Guerrilla's focus on skill expression. They've stated repeatedly that "combat is tactical, reactive, and deeply skill-based." This isn't just marketing language. It means a master player can carry a hunt through superior positioning, resource management, and reading enemy patterns. But it also means newer players can feel overwhelmed if they don't understand the fundamentals.

The team dynamic adds another layer. You need coordination on target priority. Someone needs to manage healing items. Ranged and melee players need to stay positioned so they don't interfere with each other. If one player gets downed, the team must adapt mid-hunt. This is classic Monster Hunter DNA—the game doesn't pause for your lack of coordination. Reality happens in real time.

Guerrilla's confidence in this design shows in their approach to difficulty scaling. Rather than making content easier for small teams, they've indicated that hunts are designed for a specific team size. Bringing fewer players doesn't make hunts easier; they make hunts harder because you have less aggregate health and damage output. Conversely, maxing out your team doesn't trivialize content because enemies scale accordingly. This keeps the challenge fresh regardless of your squad composition.

Hunters Gathering excels in narrative integration and team coordination compared to its peers. Estimated data based on gameplay features.

Machine Incursion: The Core Hunt Experience

Machine Incursion serves as Hunters Gathering's primary game mode. Here's the structure: your team enters an arena and faces waves of increasingly difficult machines. Early waves might feature smaller machines like Watchers or Scrapers, creatures that are fast but relatively fragile. As you progress through waves, larger, more threatening machines enter the mix. The climax comes when a powerful boss machine appears, forcing your team to execute everything you've learned in the preceding waves.

This mode is designed for replayability. Guerrilla isn't trying to create a narrative experience here. Each Machine Incursion run is mechanically distinct even if the fundamental loop remains the same. The machines that appear in each wave are randomized. Their armor configurations vary. Some runs, you might face four Watchers and two Bellowbacks; another run might pit you against a Trampler and several Shellwalkers.

This variance is crucial for long-term engagement. If every Machine Incursion run felt identical, the mode would get stale within a few hours. Instead, players need to constantly adapt their approach. The skills you mastered on one run might not apply directly to the next run. You're not just improving at one specific encounter; you're improving at hunting itself.

The reward structure for Machine Incursion likely follows typical multiplayer hunting game patterns. Completing waves drops loot that improves your gear. The further you progress, the better the rewards. Completing Machine Incursions with higher difficulty modifiers grants premium rewards. This creates a progression loop: better gear allows you to tackle harder hunts, which grant better gear, enabling even more challenging content.

There's an important psychological element here. Players need to feel like they're making tangible progress. That might be visual progression (your armor becomes visibly more ornate). It might be mechanical progression (your damage increases measurably). Or it might be achievement-based progression (you complete specific challenges or unlock cosmetics). Guerrilla has experience with this; their multiplayer mode in Killzone 2 and 3 understood the importance of making progression feel real.

One strategic element that isn't fully detailed yet concerns resource management within a Machine Incursion. Do you have limited ammunition that forces difficult decisions? Can you craft ammunition on the fly, and if so, do you gather materials from defeated machines? Do health items respawn between waves or are they limited per run? These systems dramatically affect how hunts play out. A run with abundant resources feels different from a resource-scarce run. Both can be fun if balanced correctly.

Cauldron Descent: The Longer, More Complex Challenge

If Machine Incursion represents Hunters Gathering's standard hunting experience, Cauldron Descent represents the aspirational challenge. This mode is specifically designed for teams that have mastered the fundamentals and want a deeper test of their abilities.

Cauldron Descent works differently from Machine Incursion. Rather than discrete waves in a single arena, this mode takes your team through multiple sequential chambers. Each chamber contains distinct challenges: some might feature traditional machine hunts, but others include special scenarios. Hidden doors promise power and reward, but opening them is dangerous. You need to weigh the risk of exploration against the certainty of just pushing forward.

This design echoes roguelike and roguelite games where each run is distinct and the decision-making extends beyond combat. Do you push deeper into unknown territory, hoping for better loot? Do you consolidate your gains and attempt the final boss? Do you use limited resources now or save them for more critical moments? These are the kinds of decisions that create emotional investment.

The multi-stage structure also allows Guerrilla to gradually increase complexity. The first few chambers might introduce specific enemy types or arena mechanics. Later chambers combine multiple elements, forcing players to synthesize their learning. By the final chamber, the team faces a culmination fight that incorporates everything they've encountered.

Cauldron Descent likely has the longest time investment of any standard hunt mode. A single run could easily take 30 minutes to an hour if your team is cautious and explores extensively. This makes it ideal for players looking for a deeper experience but also creates a higher barrier to entry. Not every play session will include a full Cauldron Descent run; players might save these for dedicated gaming nights.

The mode name itself—Cauldron Descent—suggests thematic elements. Cauldrons in the Horizon universe are ancient facilities that hold secrets and dangers. Descending into one places your team in progressively deeper, presumably more dangerous territory. This narrative framing transforms what might otherwise be abstract difficulty progression into something that feels thematically coherent within the Horizon universe.

Guerrilla's design philosophy for Cauldron Descent emphasizes what they call "multi-stage" progression. This means each chamber is a significant challenge unto itself, not just a stepping stone to a boss fight. You could fail at any point, losing progress. You could also triumph at a chamber and choose to retreat, taking your rewards and leaving the deeper chambers unexplored. This creates tension and player agency in ways a simpler linear structure wouldn't.

The Roguelite Progression System and Build Customization

Roguelite mechanics have become increasingly common in multiplayer games because they create replayability through structural variety rather than pure randomization. Horizon Hunters Gathering implements this through a perk system that lets you shape your hunter's build on each run.

Here's how this likely works: as you complete encounters and progress through hunts, you'll earn perk selections. These perks might grant bonuses like increased critical damage, faster reload speeds, improved melee damage, or passive healing. The crucial element is that you're building your hunter uniquely each run. A run where you select aggressive damage-boosting perks plays totally different from a run where you prioritize survival and damage mitigation.

This system serves multiple purposes. First, it creates a progression experience within a single hunt run. You're not just getting stronger through gear upgrades; you're dynamically customizing your capabilities mid-hunt. Second, it encourages experimentation. Players might try unconventional perk combinations just to see how they synergize. Third, it creates memorable moments: when a specific perk combination creates an overpowered build, that run becomes legendary and worth discussing with friends.

The perks system ties directly into the class system. Each hunter has a class—let's assume options like "Warrior," "Ranger," "Trapper," and "Alchemist" as placeholders—that provides baseline abilities and might provide exclusive perks. A Warrior might have access to melee-focused perks that are unavailable to a Ranger. This creates class identity while still allowing cross-class flexibility.

The genius of roguelite progression in a multiplayer context is that it creates a shared experience for your team while maintaining individual expression. Everyone's going through the same hunt, but each player's unique perk loadout creates a different experience. One player might become an invincible tank, another a glass cannon damage dealer, another a support specialist. The hunt demands everyone contribute their distinct strengths.

Guerrilla has experience with this kind of system thinking from their Killzone games, which featured class-based multiplayer with skill trees. That experience translates directly into designing a perk system that feels weighty without creating excessive complexity. You need to understand your perks and how they interact with your class abilities, but you shouldn't need to consult external wikis to understand basic synergies.

The run-to-run variance from perk selection also creates natural difficulty scaling. Early in a run, you're weak and selecting perks defensively. As you progress and kill more machines, you unlock stronger perks, and your power fantasy increases. By the end of a successful run, you've accumulated enough perks to feel genuinely powerful. This scaling prevents early hunts from feeling too trivial and late hunts from feeling unfair.

Estimated data suggests equal preference for Machine Incursion and Cooperative Multiplayer, highlighting the game's focus on team-based play.

The Hunter Roster: Characters and Playstyle Diversity

Hunters Gathering features a roster of distinct characters, each with their own weapons, abilities, and playstyles. Guerrilla has stated this roster will expand over time, suggesting seasonal or regular content updates that introduce new hunters.

The character system serves a crucial function in multiplayer games: it creates identity and player expression. Rather than everyone playing as identical soldiers, different hunters look, sound, and feel distinct. A player who mains one character develops familiarity and emotional investment. They learn that character's weapon quirks, their ability cooldowns, their animation timings.

Each hunter has specialized weapons. Some favor melee, others ranged, and some likely offer hybrid approaches. This creates natural team composition considerations. A full melee team might be vulnerable to ranged enemies that keep distance. A full ranged team might struggle against aggressive close-range threats. Optimal team compositions likely involve diversity, encouraging players to learn multiple hunters.

The class system overlays on top of the character roster. A hunter might have a default class, but you can likely select alternative classes when picking your loadout. A ranged-focused hunter might have a "Sniper" class for maximum precision and a "Rapid-Fire" class for wave management. This combination of character and class provides enormous depth. Ten hunters with four class options each creates forty distinct playstyle variations.

Guerrilla's expansion plans matter here. When they say the roster will expand over time, they're signaling that Hunters Gathering is designed as a live service. New hunters will be added through seasons or updates. Each new hunter brings new weapons, abilities, and playstyle variations. This creates recurring reasons to log back in, which is essential for multiplayer game longevity.

The cosmetic customization angle likely extends beyond just mechanical differences. You probably customize your hunter's appearance, armor colors, and cosmetic items. This is where games generate cosmetic monetization without creating gameplay advantages. A player might spend money on cosmetic skins for their main hunter even if those skins don't affect gameplay. It's identity expression.

What distinguishes a good character roster from a mediocre one is whether each character feels genuinely different to play. If all hunters feel mechanically similar with just different animations, that's a failure. If each hunter has distinct strengths, weaknesses, and optimal use cases, players will naturally gravitate toward different characters based on their playstyle preferences. Some players prefer mobility, others burst damage, others crowd control. A well-designed roster has options for everyone.

Tactical Combat and Skill Expression

Guerrilla has repeatedly emphasized that Hunters Gathering's combat is "tactical, reactive, and deeply skill-based." Understanding what this means operationally is crucial for appreciating the game's design direction.

Tactical combat means that brute force isn't sufficient. You need a plan before engaging. Which target should you focus? Should you separate groups of machines or fight them together? Do you use crowd control abilities to create breathing room? Can you exploit the environment—tight corridors, elevated terrain—to your advantage? A tactical system rewards preparation and thinking, not just reflexes.

Reactive combat means the game demands real-time decision making. You can't plan everything perfectly. Machines will behave in ways you didn't anticipate. Your teammate will go down unexpectedly. An enemy will charge at you from an unexpected angle. The combat system needs to reward players who can adapt mid-encounter, who can read what's happening and respond appropriately. This is where skill expression comes in.

Skill-based combat creates a spectrum of performance. Beginners can complete hunts if they're patient and cooperative with their team. Experts complete hunts faster, take less damage, and execute advanced tactics. The ceiling for improvement is high. A player could spend hundreds of hours and still be learning new techniques, new weapon timings, new team coordination strategies.

This philosophy contrasts with accessibility-focused game design, where difficulty is smoothed so everyone feels capable. Hunters Gathering seems to be embracing a higher difficulty floor. You will struggle on your first hunts. That's intentional. The game is teaching you through struggle. Over time, struggle transforms into competence, then mastery.

The skill expression extends into weapon mechanics. Different weapons have different attack patterns. A sword user needs to chain combos while dodging between attacks. A bow user needs to manage stamina and aim while mobile. A hammer user needs positioning to leverage slow, powerful attacks. Each weapon class has a learning curve. Mastering your weapon creates consistent high-level performance.

Armor weak points factor heavily into this skill-based approach. Knowing which parts of which machines take extra damage from which weapon types creates a knowledge skill. Executing attacks against those weak points while dodging incoming threats creates a mechanical skill. Teams that combine knowledge and execution will consistently outperform teams relying on raw damage output.

The reactive element becomes clearer when considering machine behavior. Creatures in Horizon games have attack patterns. They telegraph attacks with animations. They have states where they're vulnerable. A skilled player learns these patterns, predicts what's coming, and positions accordingly. An unskilled player reacts to what's already happening, constantly taking avoidable damage.

The Social Hub and Character Progression

Beyond just hunting, Hunters Gathering includes a social hub where you manage your character and assemble teams. This might seem like a minor feature, but social hubs are foundational for multiplayer game communities.

The hub serves multiple functions. It's where you customize your character's appearance, armor colors, and equipment loadouts. You visit shops to spend currency on new gear. You access upgrades that persist across runs. You form parties with other players before launching into hunts. It's your base of operations.

The design of social hubs matters significantly for community building. A well-designed hub feels alive. Other players are visible, creating a sense of community. NPCs provide context for the loot you're gathering and upgrades you're pursuing. The space feels like an actual location in the Horizon universe rather than a sterile menu.

Guerrilla's design philosophy suggests the hub will be more sophisticated than a simple menu interface. There might be NPCs you can interact with. There might be story context explaining who you are, why you're hunting, and what the larger implications are. The hub isn't just where transactions happen; it's where narrative context deepens.

The gear upgrade system ties directly into the hub. Every machine you hunt drops loot. That loot gets equipped on your hunter or stored in your inventory. Over time, you accumulate better gear that provides mechanical bonuses. This creates a progression loop: hunt to get gear, equip gear to hunt harder content, repeat.

Character customization has become increasingly important in live-service games. Players want their hunters to feel personal. This might mean cosmetic options that are purely aesthetic or functional cosmetics that don't impact gameplay but provide quality-of-life improvements. A cosmetic that makes your character's armor glow? Purely aesthetic. A cosmetic that makes your character taller and makes animations smoother? Functional but harmless.

The beauty of having a dedicated social hub is that it becomes a natural gathering place. Players load into the hub between hunts. They chat with teammates. They watch other players customize their gear. This naturally builds community in a way that dropping directly from hunt to hunt wouldn't. Multiplayer games thrive when they build social infrastructure.

Horizon Hunters Gathering is estimated to have a higher narrative depth compared to other multiplayer games, integrating a canonical story within the Horizon universe. Estimated data.

Canonical Story Integration: Narrative Within Multiplayer

Horizon Hunters Gathering maintains narrative canon, meaning the game's story is officially part of the larger Horizon universe. The game features a campaign with new mysteries, characters, and threats that fit within the broader lore established in Zero Dawn and Forbidden West.

Incorporating narrative into a multiplayer hunting game is conceptually challenging. Monster Hunter games barely have narrative. Your character is just a hunter. There's no deeper story arc. You hunt creatures and that's the entire experience. But Guerrilla has decided Hunters Gathering should tell actual story.

The solution is likely a campaign that can be experienced solo (with AI teammates) or cooperatively (with friends). Campaign missions probably follow a structure: introductory hunts teach mechanics, mid-game hunts introduce complications, and endgame hunts crescendo with major reveals or threatening situations. Between hunts, narrative exposition occurs. You learn about new characters, understand the political situation in this region of the Horizon world, and get invested in larger stakes beyond just machine hunting.

The multiplayer element doesn't contradict this. Multiple hunters arriving in a region to undertake dangerous machine hunts is narratively coherent. They're mercenaries or adventurers taking contracts. The campaign explains why these hunts matter. Why is this particular machine threatening? What ancient threat has awakened? What do we discover about the world's past through hunting these machines?

Guerrilla's statement that the game is "canonical" suggests the campaign will feature characters, locations, and revelations that are referenced in future mainline Horizon games. The story won't feel side-lined or inconsequential. It's part of the larger narrative tapestry. This approach respects both multiplayer players who want story and lore enthusiasts who want narrative depth.

The challenge lies in balancing group experiences with narrative coherence. If your teammates are real players, you can't have long narrative cinematics that require everyone to pay attention. The narrative likely integrates through environmental storytelling, NPC dialogue in the hub, and mission briefings that provide context without requiring extended cutscenes during hunts.

Seasonal Content and Long-Term Roadmap Implications

Guerrilla's commitment to expanding the hunter roster and adding new adventures over time suggests a seasonal content model. This isn't speculation; it's how modern multiplayer games sustain themselves. New content launches on a regular schedule, providing fresh reasons to engage.

A typical seasonal content structure might look like: every 8-12 weeks, a new season launches with a new hunter, new cosmetics, and new challenges. The new hunter comes with unique weapons and abilities, requiring players to learn a fresh playstyle. New cosmetics provide cosmetic progression. New challenges provide temporary objectives with exclusive rewards that incentivize participation.

This model depends on consistent player engagement. Guerrilla is investing development resources into an ongoing service game, not a static product you buy and that's the complete experience. This requires confidence that the playerbase will stick around, which circles back to whether the core hunting experience is fun and rewarding.

The implications for game balance are significant. When new hunters launch, they need to be balanced relative to existing hunters. Too weak, and nobody plays them. Too strong, and experienced players feel invalidated. Getting this right is a delicate balance that requires both live service experience and player feedback.

The closed playtest serves this function. Guerrilla isn't just testing whether the game works technically. They're gathering data on which hunters feel dominant, which feel underpowered, and which feel fun to play but fair. This feedback directly informs balance adjustments before the game launches commercially.

The content roadmap also affects player psychology. Knowing that new hunters are coming encourages patience. If your main hunter feels underwhelming in the current meta, you know a new playstyle might suit you better. The ever-changing landscape creates a reason to keep experimenting. This contrasts with a static roster where if your character doesn't work for you, you're stuck.

Guerrilla likely has content planned for at least a year after launch. This isn't optimistic speculation; it's industry standard. Major publishers plan content calendars before games even launch. They know roughly which seasons will introduce new hunters, which will focus on cosmetics, which will introduce new hunt modes. This planning ensures content doesn't suddenly stop, maintaining player confidence that the game will be supported.

Closed Playtests and Community Building

Guerrilla's decision to conduct closed playtests before the commercial launch is significant. This isn't a finished game being tested; it's a game in active development being shaped by player feedback.

Closed playtests serve multiple purposes. First, they provide valuable data on how real players approach the game. Do they prioritize survivability or damage? Do they prefer certain hunters or classes? Do they form the expected team compositions or find unconventional synergies? This data is gold for balance purposes. Second, they build an early community. Closed playtesters become evangelists. If they enjoy the experience, they discuss it with friends, creating organic marketing. Third, they create a sense of investment. Players feel like their feedback directly impacts the final product, increasing emotional buy-in.

The nature of closed playtests also matters. If they're limited to streamers and content creators, one audience sees the game. If they're open to regular players, a different message is sent. Guerrilla's approach will signal whether they're focused on appealing to hardcore players or attempting broader accessibility.

Playtest feedback likely influences everything from balance adjustments to UI changes to entirely new mechanics. A playtest period might reveal that players struggle with a specific hunt type, prompting Guerrilla to redesign that content. It might reveal that a particular hunter is so underpowered that nobody plays them, necessitating buffs. It might reveal that players love a specific mechanic so much that Guerrilla expands it in the final game.

The timing of closed playtests also conveys intent. Early 2025 playtests suggest a launch sometime in mid-to-late 2025. This gives Guerrilla months to iterate on feedback before commercial release. Contrast this with companies that launch games in an obviously unfinished state and promise to fix them later. Guerrilla seems committed to launching with a solid foundation.

For interested players, closed playtests are opportunities to shape the game's direction. Thoughtful feedback about mechanics, balance, and features might genuinely influence the final product. This is why many players take closed playtests seriously. You're not just playing an incomplete game; you're participating in its development.

Closed playtests significantly influence game balance (30%) and community building (25%), while also impacting feature expansion and marketing. Estimated data.

Comparison with Other Multiplayer Action Games

Understanding Hunters Gathering's place in the gaming landscape requires comparing it to similar titles. The most obvious comparison is Monster Hunter: World, which defined the hunting game genre for modern audiences. Monster Hunter emphasizes learning each monster's behavior, crafting specialized gear, and coordinating with teammates. Hunters Gathering borrows liberally from this template.

But Hunters Gathering differs in several ways. It's built on the Horizon IP with Horizon's machine designs and setting. The roguelite progression system creates run-to-run variety that Monster Hunter doesn't have. The canonical narrative integration provides context that Monster Hunter largely ignores. These differences might appeal to players who appreciate Monster Hunter's core loop but want additional structure or narrative context.

Deep Rock Galactic offers another comparison point. It's a cooperative extraction game where teams work together to complete objectives and escape. The focus is on class synergy, resource management, and high-difficulty scaling. Hunters Gathering borrows some of these elements: team composition matters, resources are limited, and difficulty scales accordingly. But where Deep Rock Galactic is sci-fi mining-focused, Hunters Gathering is machine hunting.

Darktide (the Warhammer 40K game) represents another multiplayer action benchmark. It's a wave-based cooperative game with character progression, cosmetics, and seasonal content. Players select characters, upgrade gear, and tackle increasingly difficult difficulty tiers. Hunters Gathering follows a similar structural approach but with hunting rather than horde elimination.

The comparison that might matter most is against Capcom's Exoprimal, a multiplayer action game featuring dynamic teams fighting waves of dinosaurs. Exoprimal launched to middling reception, partly because the core loop felt repetitive and the game struggled with balance. Hunters Gathering seems designed to avoid these pitfalls through deeper mechanics, varied encounters, and more thoughtful balance from day one.

Horizon's advantage over many competitors is IP recognition and production values. Monster Hunter: World succeeded despite limited narrative; Hunters Gathering can succeed with narrative plus mechanics. The Horizon universe provides lore depth that generic multiplayer games lack. Characters, locations, and machine types are immediately recognizable to fans of the mainline games.

The disadvantage is that Hunters Gathering is targeting an established franchise fanbase first, mainstream multiplayer enthusiasts second. If longtime Horizon fans don't engage with the multiplayer format, the game struggles to find an audience. This is a real risk. Not every fan of story-driven single-player games wants to play cooperatively with strangers on the internet.

What Makes Hunters Gathering Mechanically Distinct

Beyond just being a hunting game set in the Horizon universe, Hunters Gathering has mechanical distinctions that differentiate it from competitors. The roguelite progression system, where perks are earned during runs and builds are unique each time, creates replayability mechanics that traditional Monster Hunter doesn't emphasize. In Monster Hunter, you bring the same gear each hunt. In Hunters Gathering, your gear might be the same, but your perks change every run.

This creates a variance spectrum. Two players might bring the same hunter with identical base stats but completely different perk configurations, resulting in dramatically different hunt experiences. This is brilliantly elegant design. It acknowledges that some players prefer grinding gear, while others prefer procedurally varied experiences. Hunters Gathering caters to both.

The multi-chamber structure of Cauldron Descent, with optional exploration and branching challenges, introduces a decision-making element absent from simple wave-based hunts. Should you explore that hidden door or push forward? Do you know the gear you've accumulated is sufficient for harder challenges? This creates emergent narratives within runs. One playthrough might be aggressive exploration; another might be cautious optimization.

The class system layered on top of character selection creates depth without overwhelming complexity. You're not managing ten different stats and dozens of equipment slots like some RPGs. You're choosing a character and a class, then adapting your playstyle based on earned perks. It's elegant complexity: immediately understandable but with high mastery ceilings.

The narrative integration, where hunts serve the campaign story rather than being isolated encounters, creates context that changes how you approach challenges. You're not just hunting a powerful machine; you're hunting it because you need to prevent a threat or uncover a mystery. This narrative framing transforms a mechanical challenge into a dramatic moment.

Accessibility and Difficulty Considerations

There's a tension in Hunters Gathering between Guerrilla's stated design philosophy (tactical, reactive, skill-based) and the need for broad appeal. Not every player has the mechanical aptitude for high-difficulty hunting games. Some players prefer narrative experiences or relaxing gameplay.

Guerrilla likely addresses this through difficulty settings or scaling. Early story hunts might be tuned for newer players, teaching mechanics without punishing failure. Later hunts ramp difficulty for players ready for challenge. This is standard practice in modern games.

The AI companion option is crucial for accessibility. Not every player has a regular squad to hunt with. Allowing solo play with AI teammates means the full campaign remains accessible even if you don't have friends to coordinate with. The AI probably isn't perfect—it makes mistakes, doesn't execute complex tactics—but it's present and cooperative.

The cosmetic focus of monetization (versus gameplay-affecting purchases) keeps the playing field level. No amount of money makes your hunter mechanically superior. Money buys cosmetics and convenience. This is ethical game design that respects both paying and free players.

One potential accessibility issue is communication. If you're hunting with random players online, coordinating without voice chat is difficult. The game probably includes pings, quick-chat commands, or emotes to facilitate non-voice communication. This is essential for players in environments where voice chat isn't practical or possible.

Estimated data shows a balanced distribution of playstyle preferences, with players equally interested in melee, ranged, and hybrid approaches.

The Closed Playtest Window and What to Expect

For interested players, closed playtests in early 2025 represent the first opportunity to experience Hunters Gathering. Understanding what to expect helps set realistic expectations.

Closed playtests are typically limited in scope. Not every hunt mode might be available. The hunter roster might be smaller than the full launch. Server stability might be questionable since it's pre-commercial infrastructure. Don't expect a polished final product; expect a functional but sometimes rough experience.

The playtest will likely focus on specific elements. One playtest phase might emphasize Machine Incursion balance. Another might test Cauldron Descent's multi-chamber structure. Another might focus on social hub functionality and party formation. Guerrilla's developers are deliberately testing specific systems, so don't be surprised if some features are locked off.

The closed nature means access is limited. Guerrilla will likely invite previous Horizon players, content creators, and players who sign up specifically for testing. Getting access requires proactive interest. Keep eyes on Guerrilla's official channels for playtest registration information.

Participants should prepare feedback. This isn't just playing for fun; it's an opportunity to influence the game's direction. Coherent, specific feedback helps developers. Instead of "this sucks," provide "this hunt's difficulty spike between wave two and three is too abrupt for new players." Constructive criticism is more valuable than general complaints.

The playtest period will likely highlight what works and what needs fixing. Expect patch notes between playtest phases showing that feedback was incorporated. This should build confidence that your voice matters and that Guerrilla is actively listening.

Platform Considerations: PS5 and PC

Guerrilla's commitment to both PS5 and PC is significant. PS5 ensures strong hardware consistency; everyone playing on PS5 has identical hardware. PC introduces variables. Different GPUs, CPUs, and internet connections create optimization challenges. However, supporting both platforms dramatically expands the potential player base.

The PS5 version likely leverages the hardware's specific capabilities. The custom SSD enables rapid loading, reducing downtime between hunts. The GPU powers detailed machine models and environmental destruction. Audio is probably leveraging spatial audio features for immersive soundscapes. These are advantages that don't exist on PC in quite the same way.

The PC version opens the game to a massive audience beyond PlayStation's ecosystem. PC players who've never engaged with PlayStation's exclusives now can experience Horizon. This is a business decision that acknowledges that console exclusivity, while beneficial for hardware sales, limits total addressable market for the game itself.

Cross-platform play is likely supported, though it's possible there are matchmaking divisions between platforms. PC and PS5 players might be able to hunt together, or they might be separated. Cross-platform play increases player pools, reducing matchmaking times and enabling friends on different platforms to team up.

The technical challenge of supporting both platforms simultaneously means optimization matters. Guerrilla has experience porting PlayStation games to PC (Horizon Zero Dawn came to PC successfully), so they understand the technical requirements. Expect the game to run well on recommended PC hardware.

Monetization Model and Player Expectations

Guerrilla hasn't fully detailed Hunters Gathering's monetization, but industry trends suggest a free-to-play or premium-with-cosmetics model. The game is built as a live service, meaning ongoing revenue is necessary to sustain development.

Likely monetization elements include a cosmetics shop where players buy skins, weapon appearances, and character customizations. This is the ethically sound approach: purely cosmetic purchases don't create gameplay advantages. A player who spends money looks cooler but performs identically to a free player.

A battle pass is probable. Seasonal battle passes provide cosmetics and sometimes battle pass currency for players who complete challenges throughout the season. Players who spend money on the battle pass get access to exclusive cosmetics. This creates a revenue stream while respecting free players.

Guerrilla might also implement cosmetic-only seasonal shops where limited-time items are available for purchase. When they rotate out, players who missed them often regret it, encouraging future purchases when similar items return.

Where Guerrilla needs to be careful is avoiding pay-to-convenience mechanics. Selling better gear or stat-boosting items creates a gameplay advantage that's ethically questionable. A free player shouldn't feel like they're at a mechanical disadvantage just because they didn't spend money. Cosmetics, convenience items (like bonus exp or resource boosters), and seasonal content are fine. Mechanical power should be earned through play, not purchased.

The business model depends on two things: keeping the core game engaging enough that players stay invested, and implementing cosmetics compelling enough that players want to purchase them. If the core loop is fun, monetization feels less aggressive even if it's present. If the core loop is repetitive and boring, cosmetics don't matter because nobody's playing anyway.

The Broader Implications for Horizon's Future

Horizon Hunters Gathering doesn't exist in isolation. It's part of Guerrilla's broader vision for the franchise. The success or failure of Hunters Gathering will influence future Horizon projects.

If Hunters Gathering succeeds, expect more multiplayer Horizon content. Additional spin-offs might explore different genres using Horizon IP. Perhaps a Horizon MOBA, a tactical squad-based game, or a roguelike dungeon crawler. Successful franchises generate multiple gameplay experiences across platforms and genres.

If Hunters Gathering struggles, Guerrilla might retract from multiplayer experimentation and focus on what they do best: single-player open worlds. The mainline Horizon series was designed for solo exploration. Multiplayer represents a different design philosophy. If players reject it, lessons are learned and development pivots accordingly.

Either way, the knowledge gained from developing Hunters Gathering improves Guerrilla's future work. Whether it's understanding multiplayer balance, live service operations, or narrative integration in team-based games, the experience is valuable. Publishers expect their studios to grow and diversify. Hunters Gathering represents Guerrilla expanding their design capabilities.

The IP potential of Horizon is massive. It's visually distinctive (machines are unlike anything else in games), mechanically interesting (hunting gameplay has deep design space), and narratively rich (the world's mysteries still aren't fully explained). Hunters Gathering taps into that potential in a new direction. Success here opens doors for the franchise in ways single-player games alone couldn't.

What Players Should Know Before the Closed Playtest

If you're interested in participating in the closed playtest or just want to understand what Hunters Gathering is, here's what to know:

First, this is a cooperative multiplayer game, not a solo experience. You can play with AI, but the game is designed for team coordination. If you hate online multiplayer, you should know that going in.

Second, it's skill-based. You will die. You will fail hunts. This is intentional. The game challenges you to improve. If you want relaxing games where difficulty is optional, Hunters Gathering might frustrate you.

Third, it's part of the Horizon universe narratively, but you don't need to have played Horizon Zero Dawn or Forbidden West to enjoy it mechanically. You might miss narrative context or appreciate character cameos less, but mechanically, Hunters Gathering stands alone.

Fourth, this is a live service game. It won't be finished at launch. It will change and evolve. Some balance decisions you dislike might be reverted based on feedback. Some features might launch broken and be fixed through patches. This is modern game development reality.

Fifth, community will make or break this game. A solo hunting game needs nothing but you versus machines. A multiplayer hunting game lives and dies based on whether the community is welcoming, whether matchmaking is quick, and whether people continue playing. Community quality is a feature as much as game mechanics.

The Future of Cooperative Action Games

Horizon Hunters Gathering arrives in a gaming landscape increasingly hungry for cooperative experiences. The success of Deep Rock Galactic, Monster Hunter: World, and games like Helldivers 2 proves that players want team-based challenges where cooperation is essential, not optional.

Cooperative games create emotional investment differently than solo games. Victory feels earned when achieved with friends. Failure stings worse when you feel like you let your team down. This emotional intensity is addictive. People return to cooperative games for years because the human element keeps experiences fresh.

Guerrilla enters this space with significant advantages: massive production budget, experienced studio, established IP, and thoughtful design philosophy. The competition (Monster Hunter teams, Deep Rock Galactic developers) are formidable, but not insurmountable. There's room for multiple successful cooperative games simultaneously.

The trend toward live service multiplayer games also works in Hunters Gathering's favor. Publishers and players increasingly expect games to receive ongoing content. A game that launches and never changes feels incomplete now. Guerrilla's willingness to add hunters and adventures over time meets this expectation.

The broader implication is that AAA games are increasingly accommodating diverse play styles and team sizes. Single-player experiences and multiplayer experiences are both valuable. The best studios recognize this and build franchises that serve both audiences. Horizon is doing exactly that: mainline single-player games plus multiplayer spin-offs.

FAQ

What is Horizon Hunters Gathering?

Horizon Hunters Gathering is a cooperative multiplayer action game developed by Guerrilla Games for PlayStation 5 and PC. It's a spin-off from the mainline Horizon series that focuses on team-based machine hunts rather than open-world exploration. The game emphasizes tactical, skill-based combat where players coordinate to defeat increasingly difficult machines and complete objectives.

How many players can participate in a hunt?

Hunts are designed for up to four players, though you can also play solo with AI teammates. The game supports cooperative play with friends or matchmaking with random players online. Teams can consist of any mix of human players and AI, making it flexible for different squad compositions.

What are the main game modes in Hunters Gathering?

The two primary game modes are Machine Incursion, where you face waves of increasingly difficult machines culminating in a boss fight, and Cauldron Descent, a longer multi-stage mode with multiple chambers, optional exploration, and escalating challenges. Both modes support solo play with AI or cooperative multiplayer with friends.

Can I play Hunters Gathering solo without friends?

Yes, you can play the entire game solo with AI teammates. The campaign can be experienced without any other players. However, the game is designed with multiplayer in mind, so cooperative play with friends offers a richer experience than playing purely with AI.

When will Hunters Gathering release?

Guerrilla Games hasn't announced a specific launch date, but closed playtests are scheduled for early 2025. Based on typical development timelines, expect a full release sometime in mid-to-late 2025 for both PlayStation 5 and PC.

What's the roguelite system and how does it affect gameplay?

The roguelite system allows you to earn perks during hunts that modify your hunter's abilities, damage output, defense, and special traits. Each run generates different perk combinations, creating unique builds and varying your playstyle from hunt to hunt. This adds significant replayability because two identical hunters can play completely differently depending on their perk selections.

Will Hunters Gathering require a PlayStation Network or PC account subscription?

Guerrilla hasn't confirmed the exact monetization model, but multiplayer games typically require active online accounts. PlayStation Network Plus is likely required on PS5, and a free Epic Games or Steam account is probably necessary for PC. The game itself is expected to be free-to-play or available through PlayStation Plus included, though this hasn't been officially confirmed.

Is Horizon Hunters Gathering part of the official Horizon storyline?

Yes, the game is canonical to the Horizon universe. It features new characters, mysteries, and threats that officially exist within the larger Horizon lore. Events in Hunters Gathering could potentially be referenced in future Horizon games, making it part of the franchise's overall narrative rather than a standalone spin-off.

What makes Hunters Gathering different from Monster Hunter games?

While both are hunting-focused cooperative games, Hunters Gathering integrates a narrative campaign, roguelite progression through perks, and multi-chamber dungeons with optional exploration. It's set in the Horizon universe rather than being a generic fantasy setting. The roguelite elements create run-to-run variety that Monster Hunter's more static gear progression doesn't emphasize.

How does character progression work in Hunters Gathering?

Characters progress through multiple systems: they earn perks during individual hunt runs that create build variety, they unlock cosmetics and appearance customizations, and they upgrade gear that persists across runs. The game also likely features account-level progression through seasonal content and achievements, encouraging long-term engagement with specific hunters.

Horizon Hunters Gathering represents Guerrilla Games taking a calculated risk: taking a beloved single-player franchise and making its next major experience multiplayer. This decision will either expand the Horizon universe's reach into a thriving cooperative community or teach valuable lessons about the limits of multiplayer game development. Either way, the game's design philosophy—tactical, skill-based combat with replayable hunts and narrative integration—suggests Guerrilla takes the multiplayer challenge seriously rather than treating it as a cash grab.

For players, the closed playtest is an opportunity to shape the game before launch. For Guerrilla, it's validation that the core concept works. For the broader gaming industry, it's another data point on whether AAA publishers can successfully diversify their franchises into new genres.

Horizon Hunters Gathering launches in 2025. Whether it becomes the next defining cooperative hunting game or a cautionary tale about over-extending beloved franchises remains to be seen. What's certain is that the game represents ambition, and ambition is necessary for franchises to grow.

Key Takeaways

• Horizon Hunters Gathering is a cooperative multiplayer action game for PS5 and PC featuring tactical, skill-based machine hunting in teams of up to four players
• The game combines Monster Hunter-style hunting with roguelite progression, where perks earned during hunts create unique builds that vary from run to run
• Machine Incursion offers wave-based encounters; Cauldron Descent provides multi-chamber challenges with optional exploration and higher difficulty escalation
• Closed playtests in early 2025 allow players to influence the game before full launch, with Guerrilla committed to seasonal content and expanding the hunter roster
• The game maintains canonical narrative within the Horizon universe while supporting solo play with AI teammates or full cooperative multiplayer with friends

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