The PS5 has already gotten some stellar exclusive titles in its first year that showcase the power of Sony's ninth generation of console. With Returnal and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart now out and about, fans are looking into the horizon for Sony's next big PS5 exclusive: Horizon Forbidden West, which is currently scheduled to release this holiday season.
The most recent State of Play event gave fans an extensive look at the gameplay of Horizon Forbidden West which included some new combat and traversal tools that Aloy has picked up since the first game. What was missing from this presentation was Horizon Forbidden West's release date, which many were expecting to be revealed. While Sony has yet to confirm when Horizon Forbidden West will release, there is plenty of evidence that suggests when the game could exactly launch.
What Guerrilla Games' Past Tells About Forbidden West's Release Date
Guerrilla Games release pattern is inconsistent and all over the place, though the studio has only released multiple games in the month of February and November. The two games it released in the PS4 era — Horizon Zero Dawn and Killzone Shadow Fall — came out in February and November respectively. Its PS3 era games, Killzone 2 and Killzone 3, came out in February, whereas Killzone came out in November on PS2.
This evidently paints a picture that Guerrilla Games would target either a February or a November release date for Horizon Forbidden West. It could be that the studio had initially planned to release Horizon Forbidden West in February of 2021, given how it was targeting a spring 2021 window. However, things have changed due to the ongoing pandemic, and as such, a November 2021 release seems imminent.
What Sony has Revealed About Horizon Forbidden West's Release Date
Right after its State of Play presentation, Guerrilla Games revealed that the game's development was on track and that it would give an update on the release date very soon. Soon is relative, though there are rumors of Sony holding a State of Play event on July 8 that could be big. Not only could the event reveal release dates of upcoming PS5 titles like Forbidden West, but also give fans a first look the God of War Ragnarok's gameplay, or more on Deathloop. While the State of Play rumors should be taken with a huge grain of salt, given that Sony hasn't confirmed anything, Forbidden West's release date reveal shouldn't be very far if it's indeed still launching in 2021.
Horizon Forbidden West is currently in its final stage of development. The State of Play gameplay demo also seemed quite polished, which is always a good sign for a game that is just a couple of months away from releasing. Guerrilla Games is likely busy fixing various bugs and glitches as the game prepares to launch later this year. Hermen Hulst also recently confirmed that Horizon Forbidden West would launch during the holiday season, thus eliminating any concerns about the game getting delayed to 2022, at least for now.
When Will Horizon Forbidden West Release
The holiday period lasts from November to early January. Just like every year, the 2021 holiday window is crowded with some hotly anticipated titles like Halo Infinite. PlayStation tends to avoid releasing its big first-party games during the holiday season, with the only exception being the launch year. Last year, the PS5 launched on November 12, alongside Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Demon's Souls, both of which were tremendous hits for Sony, serving as the perfect launch titles.
2021 is a different beast altogether, with plenty of upcoming video games releases that could affect Horizon Forbidden West sales. Xbox's most awaited first-party title, Halo Infinite, is also releasing this holiday season, and while it doesn't directly compete against Horizon Forbidden West, it's hard to ignore the impact it could have on it.
The fall and holiday lineup seem busy even outside of Halo Infinite, with titles such as Far Cry 6, Forza Horizon 5, and Battlefield 2042, all releasing in close proximity. PS5 console exclusive Ghost Wire Tokyo is also expected to release in the October of this year. Moreover, annual titles such as the next Call of Duty would also release sometime between October and November.
All the aforementioned titles don't necessarily pose a threat to Horizon Forbidden West, given how highly anticipated the sequel is. Though it wouldn't be surprising if the competition would end up affecting its sales, even if a little. As such, Guerrilla Games would have to diligently come up with a release date for Horizon Forbidden West.
Halo: Combat Evolved was released on November 1, and it could very likely be when Halo Infinite releases. Halo Infinite is a spiritual successor to Halo: Combat Evolved, which makes this date all the more feasible. Releasing Horizon Forbidden West right next to Halo Infinite seems unlikely, so November 16 or 18 release dates also don't seem appropriate.
This year's Black Friday kicks off November 26, and just like every year, it would be the biggest video game sales season. AAA games seldom release during Black Friday, which rules out the November 25 and 30 release dates. Ideally, this only leaves November 23 as a date suitable for releasing Horizon Forbidden West. Whether Sony decides to go with November 23 as the release date for Horizon Forbidden West, or something else entirely, remains to be seen. Fans shouldn't have to wait much longer, assuming a new State of Play event may be right around the corner.
Horizon Forbidden West is currently in development for PS4 and PS5.