A sequel to the acclaimed 2017 action RPG Horizon Zero Dawn is all but confirmed by a recent job listing from game developer Guerrilla Games that made explicit mention to the Horizon franchise. Horizon Zero Dawn was released on February 28, 2017 as a Playstation 4 exclusive. It was received quite well, earning praise for its compelling narrative and main character, as well as its beautiful open world and unique aesthetic. It is currently the fifth best-selling PS4 game.
With the recent announcement of a release date window for the Playstation 5, coming in the holiday season of 2020, there has been much speculation over what titles will be launched for the new console. Apparently games for the console are already in development, which only sparks further speculation about what these games will be. While details are scarce all around, and very few games have been confirmed, it makes sense that an acclaimed game like Horizon Zero Dawn would see a sequel released for the new console.
Recently, Guerrilla Games (via ComicBook.com) posted a number of job listings on their website that strongly suggest the possibility of a sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn. One recent job listing for a Technical Vegetation Artist basically spells it out, stating: "Within Guerrilla, we have four teams dedicated to creating the stunning environments of Horizon." The position is for a spot on the one of these four teams, as the listing says, that is responsible for producing 3D models of vegetation to appear in the game.
This is in no way an official announcement, but it is clearly an indication of an upcoming project set in the world of Horizon Zero Dawn. Given the timing of these job postings, it's all but guaranteed that this project will release after the Playstation 5. Whether or not it will be available at the launch of the console remains to be seen, but whatever form the project takes, it's safe to assume it will be a Playstation 5 exclusive.
Horizon Zero Dawn was a much-beloved game, earning a great deal of acclaim and financial success. The criticisms the game did receive were mostly leveled at its melee combat, as well as its visually underwhelming character models. With the Playstation 5's improved graphics, the appearance of the human character models is likely something that will be well within Guerrilla Games' power to fix. Horizon Zero Dawn also received a DLC. The Frozen Wilds was released in November 2017 to reviews that were similar in their praise, if diminished in their enthusiasm. While The Frozen Wilds did its part to keep the franchise alive, providing Horizon Zero Dawn with a full sequel on the Playstation 5 is likely to be an excellent way to boost sales for the new console, and to back up some of the remarkably bold claims being made about it.
Source: Guerrilla Games (via ComicBook.com)