Horizon 3is a matter of when, not if, as fans look forward to the future of the franchise. Guerrilla Games is hard at work on the threequel, but fans reasonably shouldn’t expect it for a few more years. This timeline forHorizon 3might actually be the reason for one of the most controversial choices in the franchise’s history.
Horizon Zero Dawn Remasteredwas released in October 2024, and many were unhappy about it. While it was an improvement over the original game, it’s not like the original game had really aged at all since its release in 2017. It had many questioning if this remaster was specifically necessary, especially among other abandoned games in PlayStation’s library. But looking at commentary regarding the PS6 and beyond, it seems likeHorizon Zero Dawn Remasteredwas more of a future-proofing movethan a cash-grab. There are a handful of reasons for this.
The PlayStation Horizon of 2027 and Beyond
Sony has begun, however rarely, mentioning the PlayStation 6. Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Hideaki Nishino mentioned the future of the PlayStation platform is top of mind and that there’s a huge interest in its next-gen console strategy. It is also reported thatPS6 is working with AMDfor its next-gen hardware. Little mentions here and there are not much to scrutinize right now, but given the typical lifecycle of a console generation, fans can expect more and more PS6 news in the coming years, if not months. Realistically, anywhere from2027-2029 is a reasonable release for the PS6.
Horizon Release Date Schedule
GivenHorizon Zero Dawn’s original release date of 2017 andHorizon Forbidden West’s 2022 release date, a similar period of 5 years can be expected betweenForbidden WestandHorizon 3. That putsHorizon 3releasing around 2027 whenZero Dawnwould be ten years old. TheRemasteredversion, however, would only be about six. Since it seems likely thatmanyZero Dawncharacters would return forHorizon 3, it only makes sense thatZero Dawnbe a little more updated. This is especially true ifHorizon 3ends up being a PS6 launch title or something of the sort.
Horizon 3’s Decima Engine & Strengthening The Franchise’s Visuals
Beyond that, it’s hard to ignore the capabilities of the Decima Engine.Death Stranding2 is made on the Decima Engine, the same one as theHorizonfranchise, andHorizon 3would do well to juice the Decima Enginefor all its worth. It’s why the originalZero Dawndoesn’t look all that aged to begin with, but improving it every so slightly could help with any visual adjustments thatHorizon 3makes. IfHorizon 3retains its specific art style but achieves similar visual fidelity toDeath Stranding 2, thenHorizon 3has a world of potential ahead of it.
Ultimately, of course, this is just speculation. It is possible thatHorizon Zero Dawn Remasteredwas just a simple and quick way to make a buck, but even if that were the case, it’s not hard to imagine how useful the remastered version will be in just a few years. As a simple other use,Horizon Zero Dawn Remasteredwill likely see some replays when fans prepared forNemesis' arrival inHorizon 3.
