The Horizon Zero Dawn universe continues to evolve far beyond its 2017 roots, with 2025 proving to be one of its most exciting years yet. From a graphically enhanced remaster to a growing multimedia empire, Guerrilla Games and Sony are showing no signs of slowing down.
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered: A Visual Revival
In October 2024, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered launched for PlayStation 5 and PC, reintroducing Aloy’s post-apocalyptic journey with a powerful facelift. The remaster features upgraded textures, denser environments, and a full lighting overhaul using the Decima engine—bringing it visually in line with Horizon Forbidden West. This isn’t just a coat of paint. Character models are now more detailed, animations smoother, and loading times drastically reduced on SSD-equipped systems.
New features include:
- Transmog system: Change Aloy’s outfit appearance without altering gear stats.
- Performance boosts: 60 FPS on PS5 and uncapped frame rates on PC.
- Ray-traced lighting and reflections: Significantly enhances immersion.
Best of all, existing owners of the original game on PS4 or PC can upgrade to the remaster for a discounted price, making this a fan-friendly offering as well.
Horizon Live-Action Movie In Development
Sony has greenlit a Horizon Zero Dawn live-action film, currently in early development under PlayStation Productions and Columbia Pictures. The project is said to focus on Aloy’s early days and the fall of humanity to the robotic plague. Though no casting announcements have been made, fans are already speculating on dream picks to portray the iconic Nora outcast.
The adaptation follows Sony’s broader strategy to turn first-party IPs into multimedia franchises, similar to The Last of Us and Ghost of Tsushima. Given the cinematic nature of Horizon’s world and its rich lore, the franchise is uniquely positioned for a successful transition to film.
LEGO Horizon Adventures: Family-Friendly Fun
Launched in November 2024, LEGO Horizon Adventures is a charming and creative reimagining of Aloy’s world, brought to life with bricks and humor. The game is co-developed by Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo and features:
- Isometric camera view
- Two-player cooperative gameplay
- Customizable LEGO characters
- Story missions adapted for a younger audience
It’s available across PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC—marking the first Horizon game to appear on a Nintendo console.
Multiplayer Game Set in the Horizon Universe
Guerrilla Games is currently developing a new multiplayer experience set in the Horizon universe. While official details remain scarce, job listings describe the project as a “stylized, cooperative adventure” that blends the lore of the series with social gameplay elements.
Early rumors suggest it may be a mix between Monster Hunter and Horizon’s open-world mechanics, with players possibly hunting robotic creatures in a shared world. Early access could arrive as soon as late 2025 or early 2026.
Horizon 3 Teased: A New Coastline?
While not officially confirmed, Guerrilla has dropped hints about Horizon 3, the next mainline entry in the series. Several leaks and art team job postings suggest that the setting may shift to the American East Coast—stretching from North Carolina to Maryland. This geographic change would open the door to new biomes, threats, and tribes.
It’s expected that Horizon 3 will run on an evolved version of the Decima engine—already powering visually stunning games like Death Stranding 2—and may include deeper survival mechanics and more advanced machine AI.
Horizon Tech Inspires Real-World Robotics
In a surreal twist of fiction meeting reality, Kawasaki revealed its CORLEO concept—a hydrogen-powered, quadrupedal robot directly inspired by Horizon Zero Dawn‘s mechanical fauna. Designed as a futuristic all-terrain vehicle, the robot uses advanced articulation and balancing systems akin to those seen in the game’s Watchers and Striders.
This development shows the franchise’s impact beyond gaming, influencing real-world engineering and design in robotics and mobility.
A Thriving Franchise With No Signs of Slowing Down
What started as a single-player RPG has grown into a multimedia ecosystem: a remastered classic, a playful LEGO spin-off, a film adaptation, multiplayer spinouts, and even real-world robot inspiration. With Horizon 3 seemingly on the horizon and Sony’s renewed focus on expanding its IPs, Aloy’s journey is far from over.
Whether you’re revisiting her origins in 4K or watching her story unfold in LEGO form, there’s never been a better time to be a Horizon fan.
Key Takeaways
- Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered features completely overhauled visuals including improved textures, denser foliage, and reworked lighting systems.
- The remaster brings the original game visually on par with its sequel while maintaining the beloved core gameplay experience.
- Both PS5 and PC versions benefit from performance enhancements and new features like the recently added transmog system.
Revamped Visuals and Performance Enhancements
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered delivers significant visual and technical improvements over the original game, breathing new life into Aloy’s adventure with cutting-edge technology and refined gameplay elements.
Graphics and Visual Upgrades
The remastered version showcases dramatically improved visuals with enhanced textures, lighting, and environmental effects. Players will notice more detailed landscapes with richer colors and improved draw distances that make the post-apocalyptic world feel more immersive.
On PS5, the game runs at a steady 60 frames per second while maintaining impressive visual fidelity. The PS5 Pro version introduces a special “Pro mode” that uses Guerrilla’s new upscaling and anti-aliasing technology to push the visuals even further.
PC players benefit from these visual enhancements as well, with Nixxes handling the port to ensure optimal performance across different hardware configurations. The remaster supports various graphics options including adjustable field of view and uncapped frame rates.
Gameplay Improvements
The remastered version brings welcome quality-of-life changes that streamline the gameplay experience. One notable addition is the auto-pickup feature, allowing players to collect resources without stopping or watching animations.
Combat feels more responsive with refined controls and better hitbox detection. The PS5 version takes advantage of the DualSense controller’s capabilities, implementing haptic feedback that lets players feel the tension of Aloy’s bowstring through adaptive triggers.
Movement and traversal have been smoothed out, making climbing and exploring the vast open world more fluid than before. Load times have been drastically reduced thanks to the PS5’s SSD, nearly eliminating wait times between areas or when fast traveling across the map.
Character and Environment Detailing
Character models have received significant upgrades with improved motion capture technology bringing more realistic facial expressions and body movements. Aloy and other NPCs display more natural animations and emotional depth during conversations and cutscenes.
Environmental details show the most dramatic improvements. Foliage appears denser and more realistic, with individual plants responding naturally to wind and character movement. Weather effects create more convincing atmospheres, from misty mornings to stormy nights.
Water rendering has been completely overhauled with more accurate reflections and physics. Metal parts on machines glint convincingly in sunlight, while damage effects show greater detail. Lighting has been rebuilt using more advanced techniques, creating realistic day-night cycles and moody interior spaces that enhance the storytelling.
Extended Content and Accessibility Features
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered brings significant updates beyond just visual improvements. The game offers expanded content and new accessibility features that enhance the overall experience for both returning players and newcomers.
Dialogue and Story Expansion
The remastered version features improved conversations with enhanced animations and camera work. These improvements make story moments more immersive and engaging. Characters now have more realistic expressions and reactions during dialogue sequences.
The game includes the complete “The Frozen Wilds” DLC, which adds a substantial new region to explore. This expansion continues Aloy’s journey through the dangerous northern territories of the Banuk tribe.
Story elements connect more seamlessly with Horizon Forbidden West, creating a more cohesive narrative across the franchise. Some dialogue has been refined to better align with the established lore and character development seen in later games.
Additional Game Features
The remaster introduces a transmog system, allowing players to change the appearance of Aloy’s outfits while keeping their statistical benefits. This feature was highly requested by fans who wanted more customization options.
Inventory management has been streamlined, making it easier to organize and access weapons and resources. The interface borrows some of the improvements from Horizon Forbidden West.
The game retails for $49.99 on PS5 and PC, but owners of the original game can upgrade for just $9.99. This pricing structure rewards loyal fans while still being accessible to new players.
Enhanced Accessibility Options
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered includes new accessibility features utilizing sound and haptic feedback. These options help notify players of important in-game events, making the game more inclusive.
The game supports Tempest 3D Audiotech on compatible systems, creating a more immersive audio experience. Players can better locate enemies and environmental sounds in the game world.
Visual accessibility options include colorblind modes, text size adjustments, and contrast settings. Control customization allows players to remap buttons and adjust sensitivity settings to suit their needs.
These features reflect a growing industry trend toward making games playable by everyone, regardless of physical limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to common questions about Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. These cover release information, content improvements, technical enhancements, and upgrade options for existing owners.
When is the release date for Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered?
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered was released on October 31, 2024 for PlayStation 5 and PC. The game launched simultaneously on both platforms, allowing players across different systems to experience the enhanced version at the same time.
This remastered edition comes several years after the original game’s release, giving both new and returning players a chance to experience Aloy’s journey with modern enhancements.
Will the Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster include any additional content or features?
The remastered version includes the complete Frozen Wilds expansion along with all additional content from the original game. Players have access to all previously released DLC weapons, outfits, and bonus items from the start.
Several quality-of-life improvements have been implemented based on features from Horizon Forbidden West. These include an improved inventory system, more intuitive controls, and enhanced accessibility options.
What improvements can players expect in the Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered version for PS5?
The PS5 version features significantly upgraded character models with improved facial animations and more realistic skin textures. Environmental details have been enhanced with denser foliage, better lighting effects, and higher resolution textures.
The remaster takes advantage of the PS5’s capabilities with faster loading times, 4K resolution support, and a consistent 60 FPS performance mode. DualSense controller features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers have been implemented for greater immersion.
Are there upgrade options available for Horizon Zero Dawn PS4 owners to the Remastered edition?
Owners of the original Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4 can upgrade to the PS5 remastered version for a reduced price of $10. This upgrade path is available for both digital and physical copy owners.
Players need to verify their ownership of the original game through their PlayStation account. Save files from the PS4 version can be transferred to continue progress in the remastered edition.
What changes does update 1.07 bring to Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered?
Update 1.07 addresses several performance issues and bugs reported by players since launch. It improves stability during intense combat sequences and fixes occasional visual glitches in certain environments.
The patch also enhances HDR implementation for more vivid colors and better contrast. Audio mixing has been refined for a more balanced sound experience across different game scenarios.
How does the Remastered edition of Horizon Zero Dawn enhance the gaming experience over the original?
The remastered edition offers a more fluid combat experience with refined hitboxes and weapon handling. Machine encounters feel more dynamic thanks to improved AI responses and animation transitions.
Visual fidelity improvements make the already beautiful world of Horizon even more stunning. The combination of technical enhancements and gameplay refinements creates the definitive version of Aloy’s first adventure.
