Horizon MMO Canceled by NCSoft

NCSoft's Cancellation of the Horizon MMORPG, Codenamed "H"

News broke on January 13, 2025, via South Korean news outlet MTN, that NCSoft had cancelled several projects, including a planned Horizon MMORPG (codenamed "H"). This decision followed a company-wide "feasibility review." Along with "H," project "J" was also reportedly scrapped, while "Pantera" (or "Raising Lineage") remains under evaluation. NCSoft's portfolio includes popular MMORPG franchises like Lineage and Guild Wars.

The MTN report further stated that key developers working on "Project H" departed NCSoft. Remaining team members were reassigned to other company projects. The removal of "H" and "J" from NCSoft's organizational chart serves as further confirmation of their cancellation.

No official statements have been released by Sony or NCSoft regarding this news. The future of "Project H" remains uncertain; whether another developer will acquire the assets and continue development is unknown.

A Separate Horizon Multiplayer Game in Development at Guerrilla Games

However, all hope for a Horizon online experience isn't lost. Guerrilla Games, the studio behind the Horizon series, has been actively developing a separate online project since 2022, as confirmed via a December 16, 2022, Twitter (X) post. This "Online Project" will feature a new cast of characters and a unique art style.

Job postings, including one for a Senior Combat Designer in November 2023, hinted at the development of larger, more challenging machines designed for multiplayer combat. A more recent job listing for a Senior Platform Engineer in January 2025, seeking experience with systems supporting over one million players, further reinforces the scale of this project.

The Sony-NCSoft Partnership

The November 28, 2023, announcement of a strategic partnership between Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and NCSoft aimed to leverage NCSoft's technological expertise and SIE's global reach. While the cancelled Horizon MMORPG is disappointing, this collaboration opens possibilities for future collaborations and potentially expanding Sony's titles to mobile platforms.