Horizon MMO Canceled by NCSoft

NCSoft Scraps Horizon MMORPG "Project H"

NCSoft's plans for a Horizon MMORPG, internally codenamed "H," have been canceled, according to a January 13, 2025 report by South Korean news outlet MTN. The cancellation follows a company-wide "feasibility review" that also resulted in the termination of other unannounced projects (codenamed "J"). The report further states that key developers working on "Project H" have left NCSoft, with remaining team members reassigned to other projects. The removal of "H" and "J" from NCSoft's organizational chart seemingly confirms their cancellation.

While NCSoft and Sony have yet to officially comment, the news raises questions about the future of the Horizon IP in the MMORPG space. The possibility of another developer picking up the project remains uncertain.

Guerrilla Games' Separate Horizon Online Project Remains Active

Separately, Guerrilla Games continues development on its own Horizon online project, announced in December 2022. Job postings, including one for a Senior Combat Designer in November 2023 and a recent listing for a Senior Platform Engineer, suggest a large-scale multiplayer experience targeting over one million players. The game, still unnamed, features a new cast of characters and a distinct visual style.

The scale of the project and the focus on globally distributed systems strongly indicate a significant online component, potentially developed independently by Sony.

Sony and NCSoft's Strategic Partnership

The cancellation of "Project H" comes against the backdrop of Sony Interactive Entertainment's (SIE) newly formed strategic partnership with NCSoft, announced November 28, 2023. While the partnership aims to expand PlayStation's reach and explore new gaming avenues, the future of any potential collaborations on specific titles remains to be seen. This partnership might open doors for other Sony titles to reach mobile platforms.