Guerilla Games Explains Why They Made the Switch From Killzone to the Horizon Series

If you enjoyed the PS2’s first-person shooters, you’d undoubtedly remember one of Guerilla Games’ biggest hits, the Killzone series. Not only did they have a successful launch with the original, but it also carried on to the sequel, where the studio truly started to hone its craft.

Although Killzone helped the company make a name for itself, the studio has garnered a new franchise with the Horizon saga, transforming the first-person shooter dynamics into a powerful bow and arrow. So, you may be asking, why the significant change? Well, the answer is much more straightforward than you think.

In commemoration of Guerrilla Games’ 20th anniversary, the company has reflected on their extensive journey that started in 2003. Initially, the studio dipped its toes in Game Boy Color games as the “Lost Boys” until they transcended into an entirely different system with Sony.

By the PS3, Guerrilla became a first-party studio for Sony, in which they maximized the latest tech for Killzone and expanded even more with PS4’s Killzone Shadow Fall. But, at that point, they sought out a change for something new, especially since the series had been going on for many years.

As you may expect, this turning point was none other than the Horizon series, an idea that started not too far off from what we know. Jan-Bart van Beek (Studio Director and Studio Art/ Animation Director) mentions the general premise of the pitch from the PlayStation Blog, commenting on the story structure of a primitive tribe that fights against deadly machines.

Jan-Bart also expresses how anxious the studios felt after the debut of the Horizon’s first trailer, considering that they had been primarily known for first-person shooters. In the post, he states, “We had been developing Killzone successfully for almost 10 years, and putting that aside was obviously a little scary.”

Fortunately, the Horizon series took off thanks to its breathtaking visuals and riveting storyline, resulting in the massive success of its sequel and DLCs. Since then, the franchise has sold 32.7 million units worldwide, with Aloy’s legendary adventure expected to continue.

Despite the studio’s accomplishments, many Killzone fans wonder if Guerrilla Games will ever return to its roots, as several users have commented on bringing it back. In particular, user zekececil14 suggests remastering the entire series for dedicated players and newcomers, given that multiplayer gameplay has evolved further.

However, it seems the company will focus on the last installment of the supposed Horizon trilogy, and a Killzone reboot might not be in the cards as of right now. There’s still some hope, though, given that Killzone Shadow Fall is available on the PS5. Therefore, this classic has the potential to make a return with the next-generation consoles.