NCSOFT Says Horizon Steel Frontiers Could Launch as Early as Next Year, With Strong Early Reception From Testers
NCSOFT officially unveiled the long-rumored Horizon Steel Frontiers MMO this morning on stage at G-Star 2025, confirming its collaboration with Guerrilla Games and establishing the project as a full-scale MMORPG set in the world of Horizon. The title is currently in development for PC and mobile platforms and marks one of the most ambitious cross-studio partnerships NCSOFT has ever undertaken.
While the initial announcement offered only broad details, it nonetheless provided an early look at how the team is adapting Horizon’s mechanics into a persistent online world. The game is set in the Deadlands, a region modeled after Arizona and New Mexico, where players will need to cooperate to take down machine threats while also competing for scarce resources and battling rival tribes.
NCSOFT highlighted several new gameplay mechanics being introduced for the MMO adaptation. These include climbing onto damaged machine parts using the Pullcaster to set traps and apply status effects, collecting and transporting weapons dropped during combat, carrying equipment on mounts for strategic use later, and more complex melee systems. One of the biggest shifts shown in the debut gameplay reveal is the addition of greatswords, bringing in dedicated melee combat complete with parries and counterattacks — a notable departure from Aloy’s more limited melee toolkit in the mainline Horizon titles.
However, the announcement trailer and press release did not mention any release timing. The deeper insight came earlier this week during NCSOFT’s Q3 2025 earnings call, where executives spoke candidly about the game’s current state. According to NCSOFT leadership, development has progressed “significantly,” and internal previews have received praise from those who have tested the game so far. The company’s comments, shared in the official earnings call transcript, suggest a launch could come as early as 2026 or early 2027, pending final alignment with the IP holder.
“Internally, the development has progressed pretty significantly,” the executive stated. “Based on the development progress, it would be available to be launched either next year or early two years from now, but we need to discuss the specifics with the IP holder. Significant progress has been made, so with refinement, we will be able to release this title. Everyone gave us a round of applause after viewing the demonstration and playing the game firsthand.”
Given the complexity of MMORPG development, and the scale expected from a Horizon IP adaptation, a 2027 release window feels highly plausible. Still, NCSOFT’s confidence suggests fans could see pre-release testing phases, closed betas, or technical previews sometime in 2026, offering an early chance to explore the Deadlands.
Horizon Steel Frontiers is shaping up to be one of NCSOFT’s most important upcoming titles, especially alongside other major releases like Aion 2 and Cinder City scheduled for the same timeframe. The strong early impressions from internal testers hint that Guerrilla and NCSOFT may have found a promising formula for translating Horizon’s machine-hunting gameplay into a large-scale shared world experience.
Do you think Horizon’s formula will translate well into an MMO, and would you dive into pre-release testing if it opens in 2026? Share your thoughts below.
