Horizon Forbidden West is one of the biggest games expected to come out this year, what with the successful release of its predecessor. Fans are constantly jumping at any bit of information for Horizon Forbidden West as the excitement begins to kick in. For a time, fans wondered what kind of advantage the PlayStation 5 version and whether the game will include a performance mode like other PS5 titles.
Well, fans should be happy to hear that the sequel will include a performance mode, which enables the game to run at a smooth 60fps, as confirmed by Guerrilla Games in an interview by French YouTuber Julien Chieze. However, what the performance mode entails exactly isn't fully clear yet, and fans will need to wait about the specificities of what resolution the game will run at with 60fps.
A strong possibility is that Horizon Forbidden West will also feature a fidelity mode, which would likely reduce the frame rate to 30. Additionally, it's unclear if the game will feature an option that would prioritize both fidelity and performance together, similarly to Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Regardless, it's good to know that fans will be able to enjoy the game at a smoother frame rate. Of course, it's possible that the resolution fans could expect from performance mode would be upscaled 4K running at 60fps, but that's just speculation for now.
The news comes a week after Guerrilla had finally unveiled gameplay footage on the PS5. The reveal of the gameplay footage also brought on a 2021 release that has been doubled down on by Head of PlayStation Studios, Hermen Hulst, after some skepticism from fans that the game could be delayed. Moreover, Hulst has stated that Horizon Forbidden West is on track and that the team is currently working very hard to meet the holiday release. Obviously, under the circumstances of COVID-19, a delay is plausible as the pandemic has made it difficult to work by having employees working from home.
The visuals and scope of Horizon Forbidden West's world are stunning, to say the least, but that's precisely why fans are still worried about the possibility of a delay. That, and the fact that God of War Ragnarok has been delayed to 2022. Narrative-driven games tend to require more time to perfect, as changes could be made at any moment that may require some alteration to the overall narrative. Regardless, the news of a performance mode is great, and if the comments by Hulst are any indication, it's that Horizon Forbidden West can be expected to release this year.
Horizon: Forbidden West is expected to release later in 2021 for PS4 and PS5.