Horizon Hatred Simmers Once More As Sony Announces Movie Adaptation

In response to another announcement from Horizon, there’s once again a wave of examination as some passionate social media users allege that Sony is pressuring the Guerrilla franchise upon fans.

At its CES 2025 press event this week, high-ranking executive Asad Qizilbash from PS Productions announced that they are collaborating with Columbia Pictures to bring the character Aloy onto the big screen. Earlier plans for a TV series adaptation with Netflix appear to have been abandoned following the termination of that project.

However, similar to the unveiling of LEGO Horizon Adventures and other connected projects, it has been swiftly hit by a tidal wave of criticism.

Our very own post about the announcement also faced criticism, with a reader accusing the platform owner of attempting to artificially inflate the franchise’s fame through “forceful promotion.

However, the harshest feedback has surfaced predominantly on the perpetually positive social networking sites, such as X (or Twitter) and Bluesky.

Journalist Imran Khan expressed his belief that Sony might be confusing Horizon’s sales with excitement for the IP, and he believes these two things are not the same. He also suggested that a movie could potentially attract a new fanbase.

By 2023, the Horizon series had sold more than 32 million copies, encompassing both Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West. Since then, it has introduced two spin-offs: Horizon Call of the Mountain, launch title for PSVR2, and LEGO Horizon Adventures, a family-friendly option. The original game was also updated for the PS5 towards the end of last year.

We find it strange when someone suggests that people eagerly spending their money on video games are simply overzealous, but such perspectives are common in the world of Action Role-Playing Games (ARPG).

It doesn’t appear to us that Sony is forcefully promoting their intellectual property (IP), as some people claim. Releasing four games over an eight-year span doesn’t strike us as excessive, particularly since two of those games were spin-offs.

As a die-hard gamer, I’m always eagerly waiting for official confirmations. The buzz about a multiplayer edition in development and other related projects is exciting, but it’s all just whispers until they’re officially unveiled. I’ve seen expansions, ports, and remasters before with other big franchises, so this isn’t exactly breaking new ground for me. It’s just the usual course of events in the gaming world these days.

Some people claim that Hermen Hulst, PlayStation CEO who rose through the company ranks from being Guerrilla’s managing director, may favor the franchise due to his career history. However, there’s actually no proof suggesting that the series is receiving more internal support than any other successful Sony titles such as The Last of Us or God of War.

Frankly speaking, the storyline is becoming quite taxing on us. It’s understandable that Horizon, much like any form of entertainment, attracts its share of detractors – and that’s perfectly acceptable.

Instead of continually rehashing the same arguments when a new related project emerges, let’s try something fresh. If Horizon doesn’t appeal to you or you have no interest in engaging with it, feel free to move on. If the criticisms about it on social media are accurate and it’s as flawed as they claim, its sales will plummet and Sony will take notice without us having to repeat ourselves.

Until then, there’s millions of people around the world who like Aloy and the Guerrilla series.

Is Sony milking the Horizon franchise? (12 votes)

Yes, it’s time for something new now42%
Eh, maybe tone it down a bit25%
Nah, the series is getting the support it deserves33%

2025-01-08 10:09

Is Sony milking the Horizon franchise? (12 votes)

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