“This new partnership with NCSoft really locks in our goal of bringing DEFECT to the world alongside a strong ally,” said emptyvessel CEO Emanuel Palalic in a statement. “NC’s support and guidance are helping us build a strong foundation for DEFECT‘s single-player experience. In an era where many publishers have been moving away from supporting single-player in games, it’s refreshing to have NCSoft’s support and trust in what we’re building.”

CEO of NC America, and COO of NC West/Arenanet Jeonghee Jin offered her own statement, noting that the company had worked with the studio “from the very start”, from offering early cash injections that would allow for development to continue, to its new deal to publish the game. “We’re thrilled with the partnership agreement,” she said. “We strongly believe DEFECT‘s intense gameplay shows great promise against today’s tough FPS landscape.”

DEFECT was unveiled a couple of years ago. The shooter has been described as a team-based, objective-driven game that is aimed at players who want co-operative multiplayer experiences. This partnership with NC America is set to support the development of its multiplayer components, while the studio also works on more single-player gameplay.

The development team for the shooter is made up of industry veterans, with many of its employees having previously worked on major AAA franchises like DOOM, Quake, Call of Duty, and The Last of Us.

Set in a dystopian city ruled by an AI known only as “THE SYSTEM”, DEFECT will pit players in multiplayer matches consisting of four teams of four players each. These matches will offer intense close-quarters firefights with dynamic multi-objective battles, where players can make use of their futuristic weapons and other tech. For those that prefer single-player gameplay, DEFECT will offer a “deep offline experience”.

The main action has been described as being completely HUD-less, with players having to make use of the environment around them to check for important details. The studio has noted that it was inspired by classic titles like SWAT, and more recent ones like Ready or Not for this aspect. This also means that just about any of the in-game levels’ walls can be destroyed with the creative use of weapons and gadgets.

Players will also have to pick from a variety of factions, that range from THE SYSTEM’s police force, rogue police elements, or different gangs, and objectives will revolve around either disrupting the setting by, for example, assassinating important targets or smuggling guns, or upholding the status quo if you decide to align with THE SYSTEM.

The soundtrack for DEFECT also promises to be quite intense, since Mick Gordon of DOOM (2016) fame, so we expect there to be plenty of heavy tracks punctuated by deep bass drums and a mix of electronic and regular musical instruments. For more details about the shooter, check out our thoughts.

Speaking to 4Gamer (translation via Eurogamer), executive producer Lee Song clarified that the studio has “no reason” not to launch on PS5. However, it’s not a decision that’s up to NCSoft.

“We would like to do it, but it is not something we can decide on our own, so we would like to proceed with discussions.”

In a separate interview with Game.Watch, Song revealed that it’s “technically possible” to release the MMO on PS5 but it’s still “under discussion.” Again, this isn’t hard confirmation, but perhaps if there’s enough interest, it could receive a port.

Horizon Steel Frontiers is targeting a worldwide launch by the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027. Interestingly, Guerrilla Games is allegedly working on its own Horizon multiplayer game, rumored as far back as September 2024 and reportedly its next project. Meanwhile, the next single-player Horizon adventure is seemingly a way off.

When asked about the differences between Decima Engine and Unreal Engine 5, Lee praised Guerrilla Games’ technical expertise, especially when it comes to Decima’s ability to deliver “stunning graphics and amazing asset quality”. He also noted that bringing over those high quality assets to work with Unreal Engine 5 posed its own set of challenges.

“Horizon Steel Frontiers is being developed using Unreal Engine 5,” said Lee. “The original Decima engine is incredible — it delivered stunning graphics and amazing asset quality that made Horizon so iconic. Bringing those high-quality resources over to Unreal Engine 5 was no small challenge.”

As for the development of the title. Lee also spoke about collaborating with Guerrilla Games to make sure that the artistic vision of the Horizon franchise would be captured perfectly with Horizon Steel Frontiers. He also spoke about the impressive capabilities of Unreal Engine 5 to accomplish this vision.

“We worked closely with Guerrilla to make sure we preserved the visual fidelity of the original, while creating gameplay that feels unique to Steel Frontiers,” he said. “Leveraging Unreal Engine 5’s powerful graphics capabilities, we’re able to deliver breathtaking visuals and smooth multiplayer experiences across both mobile and PC (PURPLE).”

Horizon Steel Frontiers was unveiled earlier this week, and will be coming to PC, iOS and Android. The title is set to feature many of the more iconic aspects of Guerrilla Games’ Horizon series, including the ability to use certain Machines as mounts to explore the world. However, along with this, it is also slated to feature plenty of its own unique gameplay features. Lee had spoken about these features during the title’s announcement.

“We’ve added unique, original gameplay elements to the process of taking down giant machines,” he said. “For example, after destroying a specific part of a machine, you can quickly approach and climb onto it using a Pullcaster, set traps on the damaged part, and inflict status effects.”

The MMO will focus around players gathering in the Deadlands alongside thousands of other hunters in order to take on the threat posed by the Machines. It was announced with a pair of trailers, one of which showcased the gameplay that made it quite easy to draw comparisons with Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise.

NCSoft has also noted that Horizon Steel Frontiers is being developed by making extensive use of AI tools across its development pipeline, from programming to the creation of art. The company also noted that other studios are also using these tools, and that we will get to see more titles use the technology in similar ways moving forward.

Along with this, Guerrilla Games is also reportedly working on its own multiplayer game based on the Horizon universe. For more details, check out our coverage.

“Just to clear up some confusion I’ve seen, the newly announced NCSoft Horizon MMO is different from the multiplayer Horizon game that’s in development at Guerrilla Games,” wrote Schreier on social media. “That one is Guerrilla’s next big project.”

Whether this multiplayer game in development at Guerrilla Games will be a full-fledged sequel or a smaller project similar to Ghost of Tsushima’s Legends mode is currently unknown. However, with Schreier noting that the scale of the project is “big”, it is likely going to be a much more in-depth multiplayer experience rather than just being a spin-off.

While Guerrilla Games has been known for its work on the single-player-only Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West, the studio is far from a stranger to multiplayer titles. Guerrilla Games first started coming to prominence in the PS3 era thanks to its work on the Killzone franchise, which featured single-player campaigns as well as elaborate multiplayer competitive modes that showcased their FPS gameplay.

However, Killzone: Shadow Fall was the last title the studio had worked on in the franchise before eventually moving on to the Horizon series.

Horizon Steel Frontiers was officially unveiled earlier this month by NCSoft. The title doesn’t yet have a release date. However, the company has confirmed that it will be coming to PC, iOS and Android. NCSoft has described the multiplayer title as tapping into quite a few of the things that are iconic to the Horizon franchise while also featuring unique gameplay elements of its own.

“We’ve added unique, original gameplay elements to the process of taking down giant machines,” said executive producer Sung-Gu Lee during the announcement. “For example, after destroying a specific part of a machine, you can quickly approach and climb onto it using a Pullcaster, set traps on the damaged part, and inflict status effects.”

The title will also have quite a bit of emphasis on giving players plenty of customisation options, ranging from body type to hair and makeup and even the choice of tribe from between the Nora, the Tenakth, the Utaru and the Oseram.

“In Horizon Steel Frontiers, every player is a hero,” said Lee. “We’ve put great care into customization, allowing you to fully express your individuality—even down to the smallest details. During character creation, we’ve incorporated the tribes from the original Horizon world.”

Interestingly, NCSoft has also noted that it is making extensive use of AI for the development of Horizon Steel Frontiers. Among the things for which AI is being used include coding as well as art. The company also noted that other game development companies are also using similar tools, and that we will see it becoming a lot more common in the coming years.

Just to clear up some confusion I've seen, the newly announced NCSoft Horizon MMO is different from the multiplayer Horizon game that's in development at Guerrilla Games. That one is Guerrilla's next big project

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) 2025-11-13T13:59:15.100Z

The company stated that AI was used for a variety of things in the development of its upcoming games like Horizon Steel Frontiers and Aion 2, ranging from programming all the way up to art. The company also noted that we will see AI being used a lot more throughout the industry in the future.

“We’re testing and receiving assistance internally through collaborations with basic NPCs and combat,” said the company (via machine translation). “Since we’re an action RPG, we don’t play with a large number of players, but rather determine the optimal number of players, and we receive assistance in various aspects. Internally, we also rely on AI for production, from coding to art. It ‘s being widely adopted in the field, and I think the technologies will gradually become known. The Horizon Steel Frontiers development team is also the one most eager to utilize AI. It’s being used a lot, and you’ll see that games coming out after Aion 2 will greatly increase their use of AI.”

Horizon Steel Frontiers was unveiled earlier this week by NCSoft, and is currently in development for PC, iOS and Android. As its name implies, the title takes place in the world of the Horizon games by Guerrilla Games – more specifically in the Deadlands – and will revolve around hunters coming together to hunt down the Machines. It will also carry over many of the gameplay elements that the Horizon series is known for, including being able to use certain Machines as mounts to explore the world.

That’s not to say that the upcoming MMO will feature 1-to-1 gameplay from Guerrilla’s titles, however. Some aspects of the original games, like the Pullcaster, will be changed in a way to make more sense for multiplayer battles, with executive producer Sung-Gu Lee also confirming that there will be unique gameplay elements that go with recognisable parts of the title.

“We’ve added unique, original gameplay elements to the process of taking down giant machines,” said Lee. “For example, after destroying a specific part of a machine, you can quickly approach and climb onto it using a Pullcaster, set traps on the damaged part, and inflict status effects.”

Horizon Steel Frontiers will also feature quite a bit of player customisation, with Lee noting that players will be able to “fully express your individuality”, even down to the smallest details. This means that there will also be a robust character creator that also allows players to choose aspects like their tribe along with things like body type, hair and makeup, among other things.

The MMO doesn’t yet have a release date yet. However, NCSoft has confirmed that it won’t be available through Steam or Epic Games Store. Instead, it will be available through the company’s own game launcher, dubbed PURPLE.

Many of the series’ elements, from bow combat to using Machines as mounts carry over, but others, like the Pullcaster, have been repurposed in different ways. As executive producer Sung-Gu Lee notes, “We’ve added unique, original gameplay elements to the process of taking down giant machines. For example, after destroying a specific part of a machine, you can quickly approach and climb onto it using a Pullcaster, set traps on the damaged part, and inflict status effects.”

Of course, blowing off a Machine’s weapon and using it yourself is also present but now you can carry them on mounts and bring them into other fights. There’s also an emphasis on hunters taking on different roles and working together, with melee weapons like two-handed swords and dual blades showcased. Oh, and for the first time in the franchise, you’ll create your own character.

“In Horizon Steel Frontiers, every player is a hero,” said Sung-Gu Lee. “We’ve put great care into customization, allowing you to fully express your individuality—even down to the smallest details. During character creation, we’ve incorporated the tribes from the original Horizon world.” After choosing a tribe – with the Nora, Tenakth, Utaru and Oseram returning – you can adjust body type, hair, makeup and more.

Horizon Steel Frontiers doesn’t have a release date just yet but it’s interesting to note that it won’t be coming to PlayStation. Furthermore, its PC version seemingly won’t be available on Steam or Epic Games Store but through NCSOFT’s proprietary launcher, PURPLE. Check out the official site for more details.

While NCSoft will likely have Aion 2 take a prominent spot at the event, complete with a playable demo showcasing character creation and a new take on one of the franchise’s fan-favourite dungeon, it is also slated to feature a yet-to-be-unveiled title, which is believed to be an MMORPG based on Sony’s and Guerrilla Games’ Horizon franchise. The title, referred to internally as Project Skyline, first came to light thanks to a series of leaks and rumours.

The report also indicates that the timeline lines up with reports that development on the Horizon MMO started back in 2021, which means that an official unveiling at a major event in 2025 would make sense for the company. G-Star 2025 is slated to start on November 13, and will go on until November 16.

Interestingly, a report from earlier this year had indicated that the Horizon MMO, also believed to be codenamed Project H, was seemingly being cancelled. The report at the time indicated that Project H, along with Project J and Pantera had their development halted. However, a later report indicated that while Project H has been cancelled, it was a completely different game than the Horizon MMO that NCSoft was working on with Guerrilla Games.

Along with Aion 2 and maybe even the Horizon MMO, NCSoft will also bring Cinder City to G-Star 2025. The title was officially unveiled back in August, and is slated for release on PC and consoles some time in 2026. Cinder City has been described as a tactical shooter that takes place in a dystopian take on Seoul. This means that the title will also allow players to explore in-game versions of real-world locations in Korea, including Samseong-dong, and Noyeong-dong.

“Cinder City is a game name that conveys the meaning of humanity in the future, facing a serious crisis, saving the world as a spark of hope in a ruined, decadent city.” said BigFire Games CEO and project lead Jaehyun Bae in the game’s announcement. “BigFire Games will work together to do our best to develop the game in order to satisfy players around the world.”

Cinder City was originally announced back in November 2022. At the time, it was only known as Project LLL, and was described as being an open-world third-person shooter. When it was first announced, Bae had spoken about wanting to develop a new take on the multiplayer shooter genre that can stand apart from popular battle royales and looter shooters. To achieve this, Cinder City is going to feature a host of different play styles, as well as elements of other NCSoft games.

The gameplay showcased in the trailer features some fast-paced third-person action with the player having access to a vast arsenal of weapons. The title will also seemingly provide plenty of options for traversal, from a jetpack to aid in jumping across rooftops, to a fast bike to drive through the post-apocalyptic streets of Seoul, Korea.

When it comes to combat, we get to see the player take on what appear to be zombies, as well as human enemies that are equipped with immensely powerful futuristic weaponry and other equipment. The single player story of Cinder City will seemingly take on more survival horror vibes, since the design of the creatures fought in the trailer are appropriately disturbing.

On the multiplayer side of things, it looks like players will have plenty of customisation options for their characters. Along with regular human soldiers, the multiplayer parts also showed off players taking on the role of robots as battles are fought against epic enemies, including giant mechs. There will also seemingly be vehicular combat, both ground-based and aerial.

Cinder City is being developed for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and will be coming out in 2026. Also check out details about the PC version supporting Nvidia’s current-gen suite of RTX and DLSS technologies.

Alongside this, we now also have confirmation that Cinder City will make use of Nvidia’s RTX and DLSS 4 technology. This means that the PC version of the shooter will support Multi Frame Generation, DLSS Frame Generation, and DLSS Super Resolution to squeeze extra frames out of the title. When it comes to visual fidelity, the game will also support Unreal Engine 5 Lumen, along with enhanced ray-traced effects through RTX.

Cinder City will put players in the shoes of a Knight from the 21st century that was trained and enhanced by future technology from the 23rd century. The single-player story of the game will revolve around players looking for their missing daughter, while also having to take on enemy forces that have the potential to pose an existential threat to humanity.

The game will also feature multiplayer in the form of missions that can be taken on in co-op, and the gameplay has been described as focusing on tactical engagements that will also involve hijacking vehicles and mechs as players take on progressively stronger foes.

Cinder City is an open-world game that takes place in a near-future version of Korean city Seoul. The game will feature a dystopian and post-apocalyptic setting where timelines got split for humanity in the 21st century because of the arrival of time-travelling humans from the 23rd century. These humans went to the past in their efforts to prevent an impending catastrophe.

As it makes use of Seoul as its main setting, Cinder City will also feature real-world locations that players can recognise from Korea, including Samseong-dong and Noyeong-dong.

“Cinder City is a game name that conveys the meaning of humanity in the future, facing a serious crisis, saving the world as a spark of hope in a ruined, decadent city.” said BigFire Games CEO and project lead Jaehyun Bae when the official title for the game had been confirmed. “BigFire Games will work together to do our best to develop the game in order to satisfy players around the world.”

Chen had revealed in an interview that BigFire Games wanted to create a “new genre” when compared with other titles, especially from the looter shooter and battle royale genres. The game will also make heavy use of MMO features, and will focus on its open-world as well.

“We wanted to create a new genre completely different from the recently popular looter shooter or battle royale,” he explained in the interview. “We want to create a new market exclusive to NC with a new IP which incorporates the keywords ‘shooter,’ ‘MMO,’ and ‘open world.’ We are developing a project that combines different play styles and elements from NC’s previous games, and we are very excited to share a sneak peek with our community.”

Cinder City is under development for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and is slated for release in 2026.

Along with this a new website, along with social media handles have been created for Cinder City where all future details about the title will be revealed. There is also a brand new YouTube channel where future trailers will likely be released.

Unfortunately, aside from the name and the 2026 release window, no new details for Cinder City have been revealed, aside from reiteration of the facts that it will be an MMO tactical shooter that will take place in a dystopian take on the megacity of Seoul. Some of the locations featured in the game will be based on real-world places in Korea like Samseong-dong and Noyeong-dong.

“Cinder City is a game name that conveys the meaning of humanity in the future, facing a serious crisis, saving the world as a spark of hope in a ruined, decadent city.” said BigFire Games CEO and project lead Jaehyun Bae in the announcement (via machine translation). “BigFire Games will work together to do our best to develop the game in order to satisfy players around the world.”

Cinder City was first unveiled all the way back in November 2022 as Project LLL, and was at the time described as an open-world third-person shooter. The title was announced with a trailer which featured, according to NCSoft, “actual gamepaly footage” from a development build of the game.

Some details about the title were revealed at the time thanks to an interview on the official NCSoft website with Bae, who spoke about the challenges of developing an MMO shooter, as well as NCSoft dabbling in publishing a shooter rather than the company’s tradition of releasing MMORPGs like Guild Wars 2.

“The shooter genre is about understanding terrain and objects, choosing shelters, occupying the high ground, etc,” said Bae. “This is because how you understand and use three-dimensional space is a core part of the decision-making process. We want to create different types of play and experiences in which players either work together or compete against each other by utilizing the two elements of ‘action’ that target and shoot at opponents and fractionalize and occupy ‘space within the environment.”

“We wanted to create a new genre completely different from the recently popular looter shooter or battle royale,” he explained further in the interview. “We want to create a new market exclusive to NC with a new IP which incorporates the keywords ‘shooter,’ ‘MMO,’ and ‘open world.’ We are developing a project that combines different play styles and elements from NC’s previous games, and we are very excited to share a sneak peek with our community.”

When Cinder City was announced, NCSoft and BigFire Games had noted that the game is being influenced by classics in the sci-fi and cyberpunk genre, including seminal works like Blade Runner, Total Recall, Foundation, Dune, the works of Philip K. Dick, and The Man in the High Castle.