Horizon MMO Canceled by NCSoft

News broke recently about the cancellation of an upcoming Horizon MMORPG, codenamed "H," following the departure of several key developers from NCSoft. Let's delve into the details.

NCSoft Cancels Horizon MMORPG and Other Projects

According to a January 13, 2025 report from South Korean news outlet MTN, NCSoft—the renowned developer and publisher behind the Lineage and Guild Wars franchises—canceled several projects, including the anticipated Horizon MMORPG. This decision stems from an internal "feasibility review," which also reportedly led to the cancellation of a project codenamed "J," while another, "Pantera" (or "Raising Lineage"), remains under evaluation.

The MTN report further indicates that developers directly involved with "Project H" left NCSoft. Remaining team members have reportedly been reassigned to other company projects. The removal of "H" and "J" from NCSoft's organizational chart serves as further confirmation of their cancellation. While Sony and NCSoft haven't yet issued official statements, the future of "Project H" remains uncertain, with the possibility of another publisher or development team picking up the project's remnants.

Despite this setback, the Horizon universe isn't devoid of online ambitions.

Guerrilla Games' Ongoing Horizon "Online Project"

Guerrilla Games, the studio behind the main Horizon series, confirmed its work on a separate online project within the Horizon universe in a December 16, 2022 Twitter(X) post. The post hinted at a new cast of characters and a unique visual style.

A November 2023 job listing for a Senior Combat Designer revealed that Guerrilla Games is designing multiple machine enemies to challenge groups of players, strongly suggesting a multiplayer focus. A more recent job posting for a Senior Platform Engineer, seeking experience with "1M+ globally distributed systems," indicates Guerrilla Games anticipates a player base of at least one million for this unnamed Horizon multiplayer game. While an official announcement is pending, this project, developed internally by Sony, appears to be distinct from the now-canceled NCSoft MMORPG.

Sony and NCSoft's Partnership

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) announced a strategic global partnership with NCSoft on November 28, 2023, aiming to leverage NCSoft's technological expertise and SIE's global reach. This collaboration might lead to future expansions of Sony's franchises into the mobile gaming market. While a Horizon MMORPG from NCSoft may not be in the cards, this partnership opens doors for other possibilities.