As Sony prepares for the release of Returnal and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, it's still not clear when fans will finally be able to play another supposedly upcoming PlayStation-exclusive title, Horizon Forbidden West. Its predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn, found critical and commercial success, becoming the PS4's biggest game launch at the time. Many PlayStation fans are likely eager to see what Aloy is up to in Horizon Forbidden West, but at this point in 2021, a delay seems likely.
Horizon Forbidden West was officially unveiled at the PS5 reveal event in June 2020. A release date didn't accompany the announcement trailer, but another trailer covering multiple PS4 and PS5 games confirmed Horizon Forbidden West will release in the second half of 2021 - later reiterated by Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan.
Since February 2021, there's been no official word about an exact release date or whether the game has been delayed, but many signs point to a postponed launch. An alleged leak claimed Horizon Forbidden West will be delayed to 2022, and - for a game that's supposed to be released later this year - conspicuously little is known about it in the way of gameplay. Trailers indicate its scope will be broadened compared to the original, with added underwater traversal and a host of new machine-animal enemies, but the 2015 reveal of Horizon Zero Dawn came via a full gameplay demo, making the lack of such footage for the sequel even more noticeable.
Why Horizon Forbidden West Could Be Delayed
Horizon Forbidden West presumably began development immediately following the first game's release in 2017. VGC reported Forbidden West was originally set to release prior to the PS5's launch, but as development progressed, Guerilla Games decided to push it back for a simultaneous release on PS4 and PS5. Guerilla Games also postponed the launch of Horizon Zero Dawn, so delays are not uncharacteristic for the studio. Given the silence so far, a more public delay could be on the horizon, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic and work-from-home setups contributing to delays for many other games meant to launch in the last year.
With 2021's halfway point approaching, Sony will likely share more information about Horizon Forbidden West soon. As fans wait for more information about the sequel, they can journey through world of Horizon Zero Dawn for free, as the game is currently available as part of Sony's Play At Home promotion.