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The Significance of Horizon Forbidden West's PC Sales Performance

The arrival of Horizon Forbidden West on Steam has ignited a new wave of success that holds substantial implications beyond the surface.
The Significance of Horizon Forbidden West's PC Sales Performance

Highlights

  • Horizon Forbidden West stands out as a top-tier open-world game boasting remarkable visuals, engaging activities, and colossal robot adversaries.
  • The PC release of Horizon Forbidden West, despite initial overshadowing, has reignited interest in the franchise.
  • For PlayStation's pursuit of live-service triumph, launching the Horizon multiplayer on PC from day one is pivotal for expanding its player base.

The Horizon series has had an intriguing journey thus far. Transitioning from the Killzone series to the creation of Horizon Zero Dawn, Guerrilla Games took a leap into uncharted territory in 2017. Since then, the Horizon series has emerged as a cornerstone of PlayStation's gaming portfolio. Now, Horizon Forbidden West solidifies the franchise as one of the most remarkable offerings in open-world gaming.

Expanding upon its predecessor's strong foundation, Horizon Forbidden West presents a vast, stunning open world teeming with captivating side quests, massive robotic foes, and awe-inspiring landscapes. Quickly establishing itself as a standout PlayStation exclusive, PC players now have the opportunity to delve into the game as of March 2024.

Horizon Forbidden West's PC Sales Impact Unveiled

The Long-standing Shadow on the Horizon Series

The Horizon franchise has often been overshadowed by major game releases. When Horizon Zero Dawn debuted in February 2017, it had to contend with highly anticipated titles like the return of Resident Evil, Halo Wars 2, and the launch of the Nintendo Switch with games such as Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Despite critical acclaim and strong sales, Horizon Zero Dawn took time to garner the recognition it deserved.

In early 2022, Horizon Forbidden West faced a similar challenge, launching just before the highly awaited Elden Ring. Furthermore, the game had to share the spotlight with God of War Ragnarok later in the year. However, the franchise's fortunes took a turn with the understated PC release of Horizon Forbidden West. Industry analyst Mat Piscatella noted a significant surge in the game's US sales rankings post its Steam debut in March, propelling it into the top 10 best-selling games from being out of the top 100 just a week prior.

A Potential New Frontier for Horizon

While the Horizon series remains predominantly associated with PlayStation, a shift may be on the horizon. With PlayStation's ambition to launch six live-service games by March 2026, tapping into the PC market's potential becomes imperative for sustained success.

The success of Helldivers 2 on both PS5 and PC underscores the PC market's influence, boasting over 200,000 active PC players. This success emphasizes the need for the upcoming Horizon multiplayer game to launch on PC concurrently. The impact of Horizon Forbidden West on Steam, coupled with Helldivers 2's triumph, highlights the necessity for a PC launch of the Horizon multiplayer game from day one.

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