There are a few clues about the next Horizon sequel buried in Horizon Forbidden West’s Burning Shores DLC, at least according to one of the game’s developers. Just last month, players stepped into the post-apocalyptic world of Horizon Forbidden West once again as Aloy ventured into the titular Burning Shores to track down a rogue member of the sinister Far Zenith and gain valuable information on the impending alien threat Nemesis. Along the way, Aloy explored the remains of Los Angeles, encountered dangerous new machines, and even struck up a potentially romantic relationship with the Quen warrior Seyka.
Despite suffering backlash and a hateful review-bombing campaign after its launch back in April, Horizon Forbidden West’s Burning Shores DLC has been seen as a success for developer Guerrilla Games, who recently reported that the Horizon series has sold over 32.7 million copies since Horizon Zero Dawn was released on the PS4 in 2017. This came shortly after Guerrilla confirmed that there will be a third main series Horizon game.
Fans are naturally curious about Horizon 3’s plot, but there might already be some clues regarding Aloy’s next adventure within the recent Burning Shores DLC. Horizon Forbidden West narrative director Ben McCaw sat down for an interview with VCG earlier this week to discuss his work on the series. When asked about the next Horizon game, McCaw revealed that he and his team tried to “drop some hints” in Burning Shores - particularly in the main quest’s epilogue scene. While he didn’t go into specifics, he notes that Guerrilla is excited about the next chapter in Aloy’s emotional journey.
At the end of Horizon Forbidden West’s Burning Shores DLC, Aloy returned to her home base after foiling the plans of the vile Walter Londra and sharing a tender moment with Seyka. There, she rendezvouses with her on-again-off-again ally Sylens, who reveals that he has found a lead into the looming threat of Nemesis amid the data Aloy recovered in the Burning Shores - including some ways that it could be defeated. There has been much discussion about what this could mean going forward, as well as how much of a role Sylens will play in Horizon 3 following the passing of Lance Riddick earlier this year.
Indeed, the future of the Horizon franchise is largely a mystery at this point, but Guerrilla Games has already planted seeds for the next installment within the recently-released Horizon Forbidden West DLC. Eagle-eyed players will likely dig through Burning Shores for the clues that Ben McCraw and his team have left in the long wait for the next Horizon game.
Horizon Forbidden West is available on PS4 and PS5.
Source: VCG