Following Horizon Hunters Gathering‘s first closed beta test in late February, PlayStation and developer Guerrilla Games have announced a new playtest for late May.
As per the PlayStation Blog, the next Horizon Hunters Gathering closed playtest takes place from 22nd to 25th May. It’ll be playable on both PS5 and PC (Steam), and interested players can register through the PlayStation Beta Program. Not all applicants will be granted access.
The more interesting news is this test will feature new content on top of improvements implemented following player feedback from the previous test. Guerrilla isn’t ready to discuss the latter yet, but we’ve got an overview of what to expect content-wise.
Two new hunters are coming in the shape of Ensa, “a charismatic Oseram smuggler with a mercenary past”, and Shadow, “a Carja covert operative who commands a fearsome Stalker machine”. More details on both will be shared in the coming weeks, but they’ll feature in a new playable Episode that aims to give players a taste of Horizon Hunters Gathering’s “narrative campaign” and some of its central mysteries.
The Machine Incursion (wave-based survival) and Cauldron Descent (multi-stage trial) modes are getting extra difficulty levels too, but veterans from the previous playtest may want to head directly to the new region called Breakers’ Bounty, which is full of “dense jungles and ravaged ruins bordering a scorching desert home to dangerous machines”. An interesting note, buried towards the end of the article, is that friendly hunter NPCs will be available for players who favour solo play and to “fill an empty spot” on co-op teams.
Horizon Hunters Gathering was announced back in February and is described as a tactical co-op action game, enabling up to three players to fight as “heroic Hunters” and protect the world from deadly machines. At the time of writing, it’s unclear if Guerrilla’s next game will be a premium or free-to-play release.