Rumor: Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster May Be in Development

A new age rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board, otherwise known as ESRB, suggests that Guerilla Games is working on a remaster of its 2017 action role-playing game, Horizon Zero Dawn. According to the rating, the remastered version of Horizon Zero Dawn will be released on both PlayStation 5 and PC, but a release date is yet to be confirmed.

Rumors of Guerilla Games working on a remaster have been circulating for several years now, with speculation continuing to mount after Sony removed Horizon Zero Dawn from PlayStation Plus on May 21, 2024. While games are often rotated in and out of PlayStation Plus' Extra tier on a regular basis, it's rare (although not unheard of) to see a first-party title leave the service. Given that the Horizon series has become a PlayStation staple, fans believed its removal was likely due to a remaster being in the works.

Despite mounting speculation, a remaster of Horizon Zero Dawn has still yet to be confirmed by developer Guerilla Games. However, a new rating on the ESRB website suggests a reveal could be imminent. According to the rating, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered will be released for PlayStation 5 and PC, but what graphical improvements the remaster will bring are currently unknown.

Rumors of a Horizon Zero Dawn remaster were first reported on back in 2022. At the time, it was unclear if the title would be remastered or completely remade from the ground up, but the report did state that the title would feature an improved lighting system, better animations, overhauled textures, and new character models to match its PlayStation 5 sequel, Horizon Forbidden West. It was also reported that the potential remaster would have a "big focus" on new accessibility options which were also introduced by its 2022 sequel, along with new graphics modes and quality-of-life improvements.

While it appears likely that the upcoming remaster will be released on PlayStation 5 and PC simultaneously, it took two years for Sony to release the hit title on PC. The port was developed by Nixxes Software, which would later go on to bring other PlayStation titles, such as Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon Forbidden West, and Ghost of Tsushima to PC.

Given the immense popularity of Horizon Zero Dawn, a remaster to bring the title to PlayStation's current generation console seemed inevitable. With Sony recently revealing the PlayStation 5 Pro with a November 7 release date, it also seems somewhat logical to have Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered as a launch title for the console's mid-life cycle refresh

Source:  Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster May Be in Development