Horizon Steel Frontiers Makes Extensive Usage of AI in Production, Says NCSOFT
Following the announcement of Horizon Steel Frontiers, NCSOFT shared new insights about the upcoming title during a dedicated session at G Star 2025. The studio discussed the game alongside several projects in its wider lineup, including Aion 2, Time Takers, Cinder City, and Limit Zero Breakers. The information comes from a report by Ruliweb.
Throughout development, Horizon Steel Frontiers carried the working title Project Skyline. Early rumors suggested the game would feature AI driven NPCs. When asked about this, NCSOFT did not confirm the presence of AI NPCs directly. Instead, the studio emphasized that artificial intelligence is being used extensively across many parts of the production pipeline, and that its usage will expand considerably in future titles.
According to NCSOFT, the team is experimenting internally with AI assistance for basic NPC behaviors and combat systems. Since Horizon Steel Frontiers is an action RPG, the focus is not on accommodating large numbers of players at once, but rather on determining the most effective player count for its cooperative design. AI is also being used across other areas of development. This includes coding, art production, and various internal tools. The studio confirmed that the Horizon Steel Frontiers team is one of the most proactive groups within NCSOFT when it comes to adopting AI based workflows.
In the Q and A segment published by Ruliweb, NCSOFT stated that the game will focus primarily on cooperative PvE content. Guerrilla Games had previously mentioned competitive elements between tribes in the announcement video, although NCSOFT clarified that cooperative play remains the core direction. The studio reiterated its previously reported release window, targeting late 2026 or early 2027. Public testing is planned to begin sometime next year.
For players who are not interested in large scale online RPG experiences, there is still more in development for the Horizon universe. Guerrilla Games is continuing work on its own cooperative multiplayer project, which has been confirmed once again by journalist Jason Schreier.
Horizon Steel Frontiers represents a significant shift for NCSOFT as it embraces new technologies and explores a more action oriented structure that fits the Horizon franchise. With extensive AI integration and a hybrid design, the title is positioned as one of the most ambitious projects in NCSOFT’s upcoming portfolio.
Are you excited about Horizon Steel Frontiers and its AI assisted development approach, or are you more interested in Guerrilla’s own multiplayer project? Share your thoughts below.
