The Release “Curse” of the Horizon Franchise

Is there a “curse” on the Horizon game franchise when it comes to their release dates? Marketplace data seems to make that a plausible theory.

“Horizon Zero Dawn” and “Horizon Forbidden West” – along with their respective downloadable content – were both critically acclaimed upon release for their stunning visuals, intriguing story, likable protagonist, thrilling combat and vast post-apocalyptic world. The Horizon franchise was a major step out of Guerrilla Games’ comfort zone, who – up to that point – had primarily only developed first-person shooters.

With a strong contender of a first game that has branched out into a much wider series, consisting of an equally favorably-received sequel, expansive DLCs for each title, a virtual reality game, and a confirmed third installment and online project in the works – Amsterdam-based Guerrilla Games clearly understands how to build a successful franchise.

But, the one thing Guerrilla Games never seems to have in its favor is its release schedule. Perhaps it is a matter of poor timing, bad luck or something else entirely that has led to the seemingly “cursed” release cycle in which they find themselves.

Upon the launch of each title in the Horizon franchise, another company’s video game release was lying in wait – just around the corner – to steal the spotlight. And each one of these “around the corner” releases really stole the show.

A New Franchise Pitted Against One of the Most Iconic in the Industry

The original “Horizon Zero Dawn” was released on February 28, 2017. Then, a few days later, “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (a game that needs no introduction), shook its own well-established franchise and the rest of the video game industry at large as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch on March 3. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” went on to sweep sales, awards and attention from players and critics alike.

What are the odds? Two open-world, action-adventure games released within half a week of one another? One of which goes on to win several categories, including Game of the Year, from a variety of publications and awards shows while the other is nominated for many of those same awards?

What are the odds of it happening again?

“Horizon Forbidden West” was released on February 18, 2022 with nearly identical reviewing scores as its predecessor. And then FromSoftware’s “Elden Ring” arrived shortly after on February 25, hailed with overwhelming acclaim from media outlets. Not to mention, “Elden Ring” certainly amassed the accolades to prove it.

Even the DLCs for each “Horizon” game – known for being PlayStation exclusives – are not free from its ill-fated release schedule. Although not a video game release, the only expansion to “Horizon Zero Dawn,” “The Frozen Wilds,” happened to share a release date with the launch of Microsoft’s Xbox One X console on November 7, 2017.

Even Delayed, Everything Lines Up

Earlier this year, “Horizon Forbidden West” received its own large DLC expansion with “Burning Shores” on April 19, 2023. Meanwhile, Respawn Entertainment moved its initial release date of “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor” from March 17, 2023 to just over a month later on April 28.

In fact, every aforementioned game – both “Horizon” titles and the subsequent games they released parallel to – faced delays from its original anticipated release at some point in its development. Some of these delays stemmed from the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic while others were more of a standard postponement that has become all too common with large video game releases in recent years.

This unfortunate release pattern has led video game journalists and players to take to articles and comment sections respectively, cracking jokes about waiting with bated breath for the third “Horizon” installment and another game that has been shrouded in mystery for many years such as Grand Theft Auto 6 or “The Elder Scrolls VI” being released a week later – all in accordance with what is seemingly tradition at this point.

But despite the release date issues that seem to haunt the Horizon game franchise like a “curse” – when Guerilla Games is ready to unleash the next installment featuring Aloy, the fiery-haired hunter, there will be plenty of fans waiting to welcome the modern-day mascot of the PlayStation console for a brand new adventure in gaming.

Featured Image Courtesy of PlayStation.

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