A handful of NCSoft’s in-development games have reportedly been cancelled in the wake of a feasibility study, with a long-rumoured Horizon MMO believed to be amongst them. Way back in 2022, it was reported that NCSoft had penned a deal with Sony to begin producing one of its major live service projects – an MMO adapting the world of Horizon.
Later, in 2023, Sony confirmed it was working with NCSoft on a plan to “expand beyond console and broad PlayStation’s reach.” The press release didn’t specifically mention the rumoured Horizon MMO, but many read between the lines, believing this to be confirmation of the project.
“This partnership with SIE is the beginning of our efforts to build various synergies together, utilising both companies’ core competencies, technological capabilities, and expertise,” Taekjin Kim, President and CEO at NCSoft said at the time. “We will deliver a new and enjoyable experience to our audience across and beyond genres and regions.”
Since the initial report, not much was heard about NCSoft’s work, although a 2023 leak of what appeared to be a multiplayer Horizon game did briefly cause some excitement.
Read: Footage from Horizon multiplayer game reportedly leaks
Now, it appears any hopes for the upcoming project are over, as website MTN (with translation via ResetEra) has reported “Project H” as well as the mystery “Project J” have disappeared from NCSoft’s organisational chart, following a company review.
Horizon MMO seemingly impacted by Sony’s live service plan changes
Notably, the news follows the cancellation of other Sony titles at various studios, including Bend and Bluepoint. It appears that after pushing heavily for more live service games, Sony is now backing away from the genre, with many of its planned titles being cancelled, as a result. Should the rumours around NCSoft’s Horizon MMO be accurate, it appears to be the latest game caught up in this major overhaul.
It’s unclear how far ideas advanced for this project, or why it’s reportedly been scrapped. We can assume it’s a matter of modern live service games being incredibly risky, and that change is needed to ensure studios survive in an increasingly tough economy, but there are no clear answers here. Cancelled games tend to be seen as blots on company records, and so gathering information about plans is a difficult art.
In any case, it’s disappointing to see this potential Horizon MMO reportedly cancelled, as the idea certainly had potential. Being able to roam freely in the world of Horizon, exploring more of its lore and characters, is a strong concept on its own. Sadly, it appears we won’t see it come to fruition, as NCSoft reportedly looks to a different future.
