When Guerilla released “Horizon Zero Dawn” in February 28, 2017, it did not anticipate that fans would become addicted. Although the company had already showcased their expertise in delivering captivating video games through “Killzone,” “Horizon Zero Dawn” became the first role-playing game in the company’s history. Now, gamers cannot wait for a sequel, here is everything we know about the original as well as the development of the sequel.
1. Its sales per year since being released
Upon the game’s release, it was not just the best-selling, it also was the first-party and new IP launch on PlayStation 4. It sold 2.6 million copies in the first two weeks, and when “Horizon Zero Dawn” celebrated its first birthday, Guerilla’s managing director and co-founder announced that they had sold over 7.6 million copies globally. By February 28, 2019, the figures had grown to over 10 million copies worldwide.
2. It is unlikely ever to be cross-platform
When the game was released, it was exclusively for PlayStation 4. With the fans continually wondering if it will ever be playable on Xbox, the answer as always been “highly unlikely.” Even with the upcoming game, the speculations are that it will be developed for PlayStation 5. With its exclusivity and popularity, Microsoft had to come up with a game to quench the thirst of its fans who use the X Box One. Therefore according to Express, the company posted on the LinkedIn profile that they were looking for a lead environment artist to develop Microsoft AAA Nextgen Title. They added that the style should be similar to “Horizon Zero Dawn.”
3. The company built an engine from scratch to make the video game
Guerilla has never considered using a third party engine for their video games since they like being in charge of what they are making. The firm prefers having an engine that can be used not just for one project but for others in the future. With the lack of specialization, Guerilla only redoes some parts of the engine for every game; hence, “Horizon Zero Dawn” used the same code as “Killzone” but used different assets. It is this kind of dedication that could have led the game to take seven years to be ready for launching.
4. Its sequel is in development
Guerilla has not confirmed any development of the sequel, but people are reading between the lines. For instance, with the company looking for a technical vegetation artist, it could mean that they need to hire one to make the lush vegetation look as real as in the original game. Besides, Janina Gavankar, who voiced Tatai in “The Frozen Wilds,” confirmed to fans that indeed there was a sequel in the works. She said the sequel would be mind-blowing during the Stars Wars convention.
5. How long it takes to complete the game
The longest time a person has spent playing a video was 135 hours as per the Guinness World Records when Okan Kay played Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 over seven days. “Horizon Dawn Zero” also offers a challenging yet exciting experience for gamers. Depending on how fast you are, you can take between 60 and 80 hours to complete the game. You can take less if you are interested in only beating the game without going to the highest level.
6. Why it is considered a feminist game
Experts believe that the more people see women being sexualized, be it in video games or on television, the higher the possibility of men sexually harassing women. That said, the lack of female objectification on “Horizon Dawn Zero” has been praised. Some games portray the female characters with large busts dressed in skimpy clothes. However, Aloy is neither sexualized nor portrayed as a helpless woman that needs saving. Guerilla was looking for a vulnerable character who gets in danger but is capable of getting herself out of it.
7. Its awards
“Horizon Zero Dawn” has been making such a massive impact on its fans that it continues to win and be nominated for various awards. Last year, it won the Best Original Property award during BAFTA Games awards. It had also been nominated in seven categories, with Ashly Burch being nominated as the Best performer. The game was a nominee for Annie Awards and Behind the Voice Actors Awards, although it did not win any. In 2018, it additionally took home two awards while 2017 was a good year since it bagged two Dutch Games Awards: Audience Choice and Best Core Entertainment Game.
8. Why Aloy became a favorite
As much as the game quickly became a fan favorite, most people fell in love with it mostly due to who voiced the female lead, Aloy. Although some people thought that Rose Elsie would have made an ideal fit for Aloy, Ashly Burch ended up getting the part, and it seems like the producers made the right call. Ashly became so dedicated to getting Aloy right that she not only played the game but practiced walking like her during a camping trip with her friends.
9. Its racial diversity
The game has a racially diverse cast, and it helps to eliminate the stereotyping of people based on skin color. Instead, discrimination is based on nationality, similar to how the Japanese view people. Allegedly, the Japanese base their ethnic diversity on nationality. In the video game, the divisions are based on which group one belongs to, be it Nora, Carja Banuk, or Orseram. Still, that does not mean it did not have its share of critics who believed that the game was using the Native Americans in the story seeing as to how Nora dressed.
10. Release date of Horizon Zero Dawn 2
The sequel is yet to have a release date. However, most are speculating that when PlayStation 5 is launched, then the game will be ready to play. According to some, Sony wants the release of the game to coincide with the next-generation PlayStation. However, these are just speculations, so we will have to wait and see.
