Horizon MMO Canceled by NCSoft

NCSoft Scraps Horizon MMORPG "Project H"

NCSoft's ambitious Horizon MMORPG, internally codenamed "H," has been canceled, according to a January 13, 2025 report by South Korean news outlet MTN. The cancellation follows a company-wide "feasibility review" resulting in the termination of several projects. The report also states that key developers assigned to "Project H" have departed NCSoft, with remaining team members reassigned to other projects. The removal of "Project H" (and another project, codenamed "J") from NCSoft's organizational chart further solidifies the cancellation.

While NCSoft and Sony have yet to officially comment, the news casts doubt on the future of this particular Horizon MMO. 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 project, still unnamed, features a new cast of characters and a unique visual style. The recent job postings hint at a significant focus on challenging, multi-player combat encounters with novel machine enemies.

Sony and NCSoft's Strategic Partnership

The cancellation of "Project H" comes amidst Sony Interactive Entertainment's (SIE) newly formed strategic partnership with NCSoft, announced November 28, 2023. While this partnership may not directly impact the fate of the canceled Horizon MMO, it suggests Sony's broader ambitions to expand into new gaming markets and platforms. The collaboration could potentially lead to future Sony titles appearing on mobile devices.