NCSoft Abandons 'Horizon' MMO Project

NCSoft Scraps Horizon MMORPG "Project H"

NCSoft's ambitious Horizon MMORPG, internally codenamed "H," has been canceled, according to a January 13, 2025 report by South Korean news outlet MTN. The cancellation follows a company-wide "feasibility review" resulting in the termination of several projects. The report also indicates that key developers assigned to "Project H" have departed NCSoft, with remaining team members reassigned to other projects. The removal of "Project H" from NCSoft's organizational chart further solidifies the cancellation.

This news comes amidst broader restructuring at NCSoft, with another project, codenamed "J," also reportedly canceled. A third project, "Pantera" or "Raising Lineage," remains under review. While neither Sony nor NCSoft have issued official statements, the MTN report suggests significant internal shifts within the company. The future of "Project H" remains uncertain, with no confirmation of another developer picking up the project.

A Separate Horizon Online Experience in Development

Despite the cancellation of the NCSoft project, a separate Horizon online multiplayer game, referred to as the "Online Project," is actively under development by Guerrilla Games.

Guerrilla Games publicly announced their "Online Project" in December 2022, seeking developers to join their Amsterdam team. Recent job postings, including one for a Senior Combat Designer in November 2023 and a Senior Platform Engineer in January 2025, detail the game's scope, hinting at a large-scale multiplayer experience with a focus on challenging machine encounters and a projected player base exceeding one million. These postings strongly suggest this project is a Sony-led initiative, independent of the now-canceled NCSoft collaboration.

Sony and NCSoft's Strategic Partnership

The November 28, 2023 announcement of a strategic partnership between Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and NCSoft aimed to leverage NCSoft's technology and SIE's global reach. While the canceled Horizon MMORPG represents a setback, this partnership could pave the way for future collaborations and potentially bring other Sony titles to mobile platforms.