Fans of sprawling open worlds and intense futuristic action rejoice! In an interview with Sony’s PlayStation Blog, head of PlayStation’s Worldwide Studios Hermen Hulst confirmed that Horizon: Zero Dawn will be released for PC. Previously, the adventure RPG title initially debuted in February 2017, was exclusive to Sony’s own PlayStation 4 console.
The game sees players take control of Aloy, a hunter struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic setting. Using a unique combination of trap-setting, archery, and stealth techniques, Aloy battles immense robotic monsters that have taken over the landscape and forced humanity to hide out in scattered settlements. As she travels, Aloy discovers shocking secrets about both the planet’s downfall and her past.
In addition to the main story, Horizon: Zero Dawn features one expansion, The Frozen Wilds, which features Aloy traveling to a previously undiscovered land to help the area’s endangered tribes.
A Popular Title
Since its release, Horizon: Zero Dawn has enjoyed successful sales and favorable reviews, earning several accolades including “Best Sony Game of 2017” from Game Informer and the “User’s Choice Prize” at the 2017 Sony Awards. Critics and players alike have praised the scope of the game’s world, the depth of Aloy’s character, and the project’s voice acting talent, particularly the performance of Ashley Burch in the leading role.
Its success was a particular triumph for developer Guerilla Games, which had never previously never published a title in the role-playing game genre. Although the company’s Killzone franchise, first released in 2004, has quite a number of fans, Horizon: Zero Dawn has quickly become Guerilla’s most well-known offering.
A Sign of Change?
Hulst’s announcement shocked fans, as Sony has historically been known to prefer to keep their games console-exclusive. However, it is possible that Horizon: Zero Dawn’s PC release will be part of a larger trend towards multi-platforming. Another big-name Sony-associated title, Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, is also slated for a PC release in 2020, although this port is officially being published by 505 Games. Sony fans can stream a large number of popular PS3 and PS4 titles on PC using the “PlayStation Now” service.
Also, Sony has recently announced many non-game adaptations of favorite titles, including an Uncharted movie and a The Last of Us TV series, the latter of which will be produced in collaboration with HBO.
Not Abandoning the PS4
Some fans reacted negatively to the Horizon: Zero Dawn news, preferring that Sony’s flagship titles remain console-exclusive. Hulst made sure to address their concerns in his interview. He took a reassuring tone, explaining that this announcement does not mean the same fate for all PlayStation4 exclusive titles. He cited Horizon’s PC release as part of an ongoing effort to “introduce more people to the PlayStation, and show people maybe what they’ve been missing out on”.
“And to maybe put a few minds at ease,” continues Hulst, addressing potential concerns raised by fans of Sony’s consoles-exclusive titles, “releasing one first-party AAA title to PC doesn’t necessarily mean that every game now will come to PC. In my mind, Horizon: Zero Dawn was just a great fit in this particular instance.”
No Release Date as of Yet
During his interview, Hulst did not announce a release date beyond “this summer” for Horizon: Zero Dawn on PC. He indicated that an announcement would be made “soon,” but clarified that it was ultimately up to Angie Smets, Jan-Bart van Beek, and Michiel van der Leeuw, the current studio heads at Guerilla Games.
However, a Steam page for the PC release has already been created and went live on March 11. Horizon: Zero Dawn’s new version is credited to PlayStation Mobile, the same label under which the 2016 PC port of Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture was released. Although no price or system specifications are listed, the Steam page does confirm that the PC version will be Horizon: Zero Dawn – The Complete Edition and will include the Frozen Wilds expansion. The PC screenshots which populate the game’s Steam listing are just as visually stunning as the PlayStation 4 original.
No listing for Horizon: Zero Dawn has been added to any other PC gaming stores, including the Epic Games Store, which will be co-hosting the Death Stranding PC port along with Steam.
Sony fans, PC gamers, and Horizon devotees alike eagerly await more concrete news, especially that of an official release date.
