Sony is competing with itself in the closed beta test of Horizon Hunters Gathering. The co-op game didn’t receive much love from fans when it was announced.
Horizon fans don’t have it easy. The game series featuring giant robot dinosaurs always manages to pick particularly unfavorable release dates and then find itself in direct competition with games like Elden Ring.
This sad tradition now looks set to continue with the co-op spin-off Horizon Hunters Gathering. This time, however, Sony should know better, as the publisher is competing with itself.
Not the only beta
Haven’t heard of Horizon Hunters Gathering yet? In this co-op spin-off set in the world of Aloy and co., you team up with two other players to go on challenging monster hunts. You can choose from a variety of heroes, each with their own special abilities and play style. The co-op Horizon was already presented in a detailed video:
A few weeks after the announcement, the first closed beta test is already scheduled to take place, for which you can register with a PlayStation account via the official website. The test will run from February 27 to March 1, 2026. Three heroes and two game modes are playable; in one, you face waves of enemies, and in the other, you explore a dungeon.
The problem: the beta is taking place at exactly the same time as Sony is hosting a final open test of the big multiplayer shooter Marathon. Shortly before the release of the much-discussed shooter, Sony is inviting players to a server test from February 26 to March 2. Both games are published by Sony, so the publisher would have had the opportunity to avoid the conflict in any case.
The question is, however, whether Horizon Hunters Gathering is facing major difficulties. Most fans of the series probably just want a single-player sequel, and the announcement of the co-op game was not very well received. Under the announcement trailer are almost exclusively negative comments, with five times as many thumbs down as likes.
Things are looking a little better for the MMO Horizon Steel Frontiers, which was announced a few months ago. It looks a little more like what fans of the series are used to and is therefore more popular. Find out more about Steel Frontiers, the setting, the battles, and the MMO features in the video above!
