Horizon Steel Frontiers
Mobile-first Horizon MMORPG set in the Deadlands.
Horizon Steel Frontiers is an upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) from NC, developed and published under a licensing agreement with Sony Interactive Entertainment. As a spin-off of the Horizon franchise—itself created by Guerrilla Games—this title marks a departure from earlier installments by offering a shared-world multiplayer experience. It is built primarily for mobile platforms, targeting Android and iOS devices, with a native Windows version accessible through NC's proprietary PURPLE launcher. The game debuted at South Korea's G-Star gaming exhibition in November 2025, with a release window set for the first half of 2027.
In terms of gameplay, Steel Frontiers shifts the franchise into a cooperative, player-versus-environment (PvE) structure inspired by the Monster Hunter series. Instead of controlling the series' usual protagonist, Aloy, players create their own customizable machine hunters and choose allegiance from four returning tribes: the Nora, Tenakth, Utaru, or Oseram. Combat is tailored for touch interfaces and cooperative play, emphasizing melee weapons over ranged archery. A new "charged blade" mechanic lets players deflect attacks, while the series' signature feature of targeting and detaching machine components remains. To accommodate mobile controls, a "smart lock-in" system automatically manages distance during encounters. Social features are central: players gather in hubs to upgrade gear, form guilds, and organize hunting parties before venturing into the open world—NC describes these hubs as the "heart of the community." Subterranean Cauldrons, returning from previous games, serve as traditional MMORPG dungeons for team-based exploration. New traversal options include riding machines and using aerial mounts to navigate the world.
The story unfolds concurrently with the mainline Horizon games, focusing on a new southern region called the Deadlands. This area draws inspiration from the Southwestern United States, including Arizona and New Mexico, and features overgrown skyscrapers and desert environments.
Development began after a 2022 report from South Korean outlet MTN indicated NC was recruiting for an online Horizon spin-off under the codenames "Project Skyline" or "Project H." The game was officially announced on November 12, 2025.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Horizon Steel Frontiers
- Developer
- NCAdditional work by Guerrilla Games
- Publisher
- NC
- Series
- Horizon
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Platforms
- Android · iOS · Windows
- Release
- 2027
- Genre
- MMORPG
Facts from the source article.
背景与渊源
Development by NC is a departure from Sony's usual internal development of main franchises. NC handled programming and live-service infrastructure, building the game in Unreal Engine 5 instead of Guerrilla Games's Decima engine. Guerrilla collaborated on world design to maintain continuity. The character designs are more stylised than previous games. The game was announced on 12 November 2025, following a 2022 report that NC was recruiting for an online Horizon spin-off codenamed 'Project Skyline' or 'Project H'. A June 2026 investor presentation confirmed the planned release in the first half of 2027.
阅读指南
Horizon Steel Frontiers represents a significant strategic shift for the Horizon franchise, moving from single-player narrative experiences to a mobile-first, shared-world MMORPG. Its development by NC, a South Korean studio, rather than internal Sony teams, marks a notable outsourcing of a major first-party IP. The game's focus on touch-based melee combat, cooperative PvE inspired by Monster Hunter, and social hubs indicates an attempt to capture the mobile and live-service markets. The use of Unreal Engine 5 instead of the proprietary Decima engine suggests a technical departure from the main series. The game's setting in the Deadlands, concurrent with mainline entries, expands the franchise's geography. Its planned 2027 release will test whether the Horizon brand can successfully transition to a multiplayer, mobile-centric model, and whether NC can deliver a live-service experience that maintains the franchise's identity while appealing to a new audience.
你知道吗？
- Horizon Steel Frontiers is the first Horizon game to be developed by NC rather than Guerrilla Games.
- The game is built in Unreal Engine 5, not Guerrilla's Decima engine.
- Combat focuses on melee weapons and a 'charged blade' mechanic, unlike the ranged archery of previous games.
- The Deadlands territory is inspired by the Southwestern United States, including Arizona and New Mexico.