PlayStation seems to be on a trend of remastering some of its latest, most popular titles in recent years, such as games from theHorizonandThe Last of Usfranchises. In January 2024, Naughty Dog released a remastered version ofThe Last of Us Part 2featuring DualSense wireless controller integration, PS5 visual enhancements, Lost Levels, and the No Return roguelike survival mode, less than four years after the original’s release. Similarly, in October 2024, Guerrilla Games released a remastered version ofHorizon Zero Dawnfeaturing re-recorded dialogue, the Frozen Wilds DLC, upgraded character models, and improved visuals for the PS5, only seven years after the original’s release. While these original games are widely celebrated, Guerrilla should hold off on making aHorizon Forbidden WestRemasteredfor a bit.
An Argument to Hold Off on A Horizon Forbidden West Remaster
WhenThe Last of Us Part 2Remasteredwas first announced in November 2023, many gamers were perplexed by this reveal asPart 2was only three years old at the time, and thanks to the PS5’s backwards compatibility,Part 2fans could continue to play the game on the latest console. Many players saw the remaster as unnecessary due to how youngThe Last of Us Part 2was compared to other, older PlayStation exclusives that were more in need of an upgrade, such asBloodborne. However, Naughty Dog has been known for remastering games early before, as it releasedThe Last of Us Remasteredfor PS4 just one year after the original’s debut on the PS3.
Likewise, when Guerrilla first announced inSeptember 2024 thatHorizon Zero Dawnwas going to be remastered, many players thought the remaster was too soon, sinceZero Dawnwas just over seven years old and the complete edition still played well on the PS5. While several fans appreciatedHorizon Zero Dawn Remastered’s goal of matchingForbidden West’s visual and gameplay fidelity, others thought a remaster or remake of the game should have been pushed back a few years. Guerrilla could have instead usedRemasteredresources to help develop some of its rumored upcomingHorizongames, such as theHorizonmultiplayer game, the rumored NCSoft MMO, or the inevitableHorizon 3.
Why A Modern Horizon Forbidden West Remaster Would Be Too Soon
By February 2025,Horizon Forbidden Westwill have turned three years old after its initial 2022 debut on both PS4 and PS5. Similarly, by October 2025,Forbidden West’s Complete Editionwill have turned only two years old with the game’s PC release turning one year old this upcoming March. Additionally, in December 2024, Guerrilla announced thatHorizon Forbidden West Complete Editionwill receive enhanced featuresfor the PS5 Pro console, including a stable field of depth, cleaner volumetrics, and improved rendering for both NPCs and the environment. All of these factors make aHorizon Forbidden West Remasteredrelease for 2025 or even 2026 far too soon because the game has repeatedly received updates consistently since it first released in 2022.
Predicting a Release Window for Horizon Forbidden West Remastered
While aHorizon Forbidden West Remasteredisn’t exactly necessary right now, Guerrilla can still release a remaster of the secondHorizontitle sometime in the future. Based onHorizon Zero Dawn Remastered’s release, Guerrilla may debut a remaster ofForbidden Westin 2029, seven years afterForbidden Westinitially came out. By then, the PS5 may be coming to the end of its life cycle, soHorizon Forbidden West Remasteredcould be an early game for the eventual PlayStation 6. It could additionally release on both the PS5 and PS6 similar toForbidden West’soriginalrelease on PS4 and PS5 to ensure that all PlayStation fans can play this new iteration of a classic.
However, given the confusion of many fans regarding the release ofHorizon Zero Dawn Remastered, it may be better for Guerrilla to releaseHorizon Forbidden West Remasteredfor its 10th anniversaryin 2032. For most gamers, it’s generally acceptable for games to receive remasters of some form by or following their 10th anniversary, such as the release ofHalo: Combat Evolved Anniversaryin 2011 andHalo 2 Anniversaryin 2014. By 2032, the expectedHorizontrilogy will likely have concluded Aloy’s story inHorizon 3,generating nostalgia forForbidden West’s adventure. DelayingHorizon Forbidden West’s remaster to the late 2020’s or early 2030’s could make its release more acceptable thanZero Dawn’s remaster and help make its improvements more distinguishable.
Guerrilla Games has released fiveHorizongames so far, includingHorizon Zero Dawnin 2017,Horizon Forbidden Westin 2022,Horizon Call of the Mountainin 2023, andHorizon Zero Dawn RemasteredandLEGO Horizon Adventuresin 2024.
Horizon Forbidden West
WHERE TO PLAY
Join Aloy as she braves a majestic but dangerous new frontier that holds mysterious new threats. This Complete Edition allows you to enjoy the critically acclaimed Horizon Forbidden West on PC in its entirety with bonus content, including the Burning Shores story expansion that picks up after the main game.Explore distant lands, fight bigger and more awe-inspiring machines, and encounter astonishing new tribes as you return to the far-future, post-apocalyptic world of Horizon.The land is dying. Vicious storms and an unstoppable blight ravage the scattered remnants of humanity while fearsome new machines prowl their borders, and life on Earth is hurtling toward another extinction.It’s up to Aloy to uncover the secrets behind these threats and restore order and balance to the world. Along the way, she must reunite with old friends, forge alliances with warring new factions and unravel the legacy of the ancient past.
