Throughout its history, PlayStation has had franchises that, thanks to their success and popularity, have become industry standards. However, some of them have been less fortunate and ended up forgotten along the way, despite their vocal fans continuously demanding their return.
One of these is Killzone, the FPS franchise that put Guerrilla Games on the map, a studio now known for Horizon. For years, shooter fans have asked for its return, believing that the saga has a lot of untapped potential and would be a great addition to the PlayStation catalog, especially after Xbox’s billion-dollar acquisitions.
Unfortunately for them, it seems that Killzone‘s days are over. At least that’s what Roy Postma, the studio’s art director, suggested. In a recent interview, he explained that Killzone‘s absence is no mere coincidence.
Guerrilla turned its back on Killzone to focus on Horizon
In a conversation with The Washington Post, Postma confessed something that will undoubtedly disappoint Killzone fans. The 24-year studio veteran revealed that they decided to leave the franchise behind after the release of Killzone: Shadow Fall for PlayStation 4.
This was because they wanted to work on new things and no longer felt the desire to continue with Killzone. It was then that they started working on Horizon: Zero Dawn, a title that launched a new franchise, now positioned as one of PlayStation’s most important.
Postma made it clear that this was a deliberate decision to explore new horizons beyond Killzone. The studio wanted to move away from the dark environments of the FPS saga to work on something that contrasted in many ways.
“We were done with it as a team. As a studio, we needed to refresh the palette. It was, by choice, the opposite of Killzone,” the creative explained.
From his perspective, Horizon appeals to a broader audience thanks to its variety of experiences, which will diversify even further with the release of LEGO Horizon Adventures, also taking the saga into the multiplatform realm.
“I think the themes that this story and the characters represent are relatable for all ages and people, like having a found family of friends and finding your place in the world,” added the creative.
Due to the success of Horizon: Zero Dawn and other projects in the saga, it’s clear that Guerrilla Games will continue working on more of Aloy’s adventures. For this reason, it is highly unlikely that Killzone will return in any form in the future.