Horizon fans finally got what many had been quietly hoping for: the reveal of a full-scale MMO set in Guerrilla Games’ lush post-apocalyptic universe. Horizon Steel Frontiers immediately grabbed attention with its towering machine creatures, tribal tech aesthetic, and promise of large-scale cooperative adventures. 
Yet the biggest talking point after the announcement wasn’t the gameplay, the story, or even the business model. It was the platforms. Steel Frontiers is currently announced only for PC and mobile, with no PS5 version in sight – a shocking omission for a franchise that has been one of PlayStation’s modern flagships.
On paper, the situation seems almost bizarre. Horizon is a Sony-owned IP. Guerrilla Games is a first-party PlayStation studio. NCSoft, a veteran of online and MMO development, is working in close partnership with Sony on this project. Under normal circumstances, you would expect a PS5 logo to be the first thing shown in any trailer. Instead, PlayStation’s own console is missing from the initial platform list, leaving console players wondering why an MMO based on a defining PlayStation series is skipping the PS5, at least for now.
An interview with Japanese outlet 4Gamer, later picked up and translated by other media, helps explain at least one side of the story. NCSoft executive producer Lee Song was asked directly about the lack of a PS5 version. His response was surprisingly candid. From NCSoft’s perspective, there is no technical or strategic reason not to bring Horizon Steel Frontiers to Sony’s console. The team, he said, would like to release the game on PS5 and sees no internal obstacle to doing so. The catch is that NCSoft does not own the Horizon IP and does not control where the game is ultimately allowed to appear. That decision lies with Sony.
In other words, the MMO’s absence from PS5 does not stem from NCSoft refusing to support the console or being unable to make the game run on it. Instead, it appears the bottleneck is on Sony’s side of the partnership. Lee Song described the matter as something that must be decided in consultation with Sony, making it clear that the publisher is waiting on its partner’s approval before any PS5 plans can be locked in. NCSoft, at least publicly, is keeping the door wide open and signaling its willingness to proceed the moment Sony gives the green light.
That naturally leads to the next question: why would Sony hesitate to announce a PS5 version of a Horizon MMO, even if it eventually intends to release one? At this stage, anything outside official statements is speculation, but several possibilities line up with Sony’s recent strategy. The company has been vocal about expanding its reach beyond the traditional console ecosystem, pushing more aggressively onto PC and exploring mobile as a major growth area. Launching Steel Frontiers first on PC and mobile could be part of a plan to build a broad, cross-platform player base before introducing the game to the console audience that already loves Horizon through the mainline single-player titles.
Another angle is that Sony may be experimenting with how it segments its experiences. The core Horizon games on PS5 and PS4 are cinematic, premium single-player adventures. Steel Frontiers, by contrast, is a live-service MMO with very different design priorities, economies, and content cadence. Sony might be testing a strategy where some live-service or MMO-style projects are treated as global, cross-platform services centered on PC and mobile, while console remains the home for more curated, narrative-driven experiences. Keeping a clear distinction between those pillars could be one way of managing brand perception and avoiding confusion among players who only associate Horizon with big single-player epics.
There is also the possibility that Sony is simply not ready to commit publicly to a PS5 version because timing, resources, or technical infrastructure have not been fully decided. A staggered rollout – PC and mobile first, console later – is common in the online games space. It allows publishers to scale servers, balance the game, and fine-tune monetization before adding another massive audience. If that is the plan, Sony may prefer to keep quiet until it knows exactly when and how a console launch could fit into its broader roadmap, especially given how crowded the PS5 release calendar can be.
For players, however, the reasoning matters less than the immediate reality: right now, if you want to dive into Horizon Steel Frontiers at launch, you’ll need a capable PC or a mobile device. Long-time Horizon fans who primarily play on PS5 are left in limbo, watching an ambitious new take on their favorite universe unfold somewhere else. NCSoft’s comments at least offer a small dose of reassurance: the developer clearly wants those players on board and is publicly signaling that the absence of a PS5 version is not its choice. Until Sony comments, though, the situation remains unresolved.
Ultimately, Horizon Steel Frontiers has become an unexpected case study in how complex modern platform strategies can be, even for first-party IP. Sony’s push into PC and mobile, its live-service ambitions, and its desire to grow beyond the traditional console business are all likely swirling around this single decision. Whether PS5 eventually joins the list of supported platforms will say a lot about how far Sony is willing to go in keeping its console at the center of its biggest franchises. For now, the only clear takeaway is the one NCSoft has quietly pointed toward: if you want to know why Horizon Steel Frontiers is not on PS5, the question is sitting squarely on Sony’s desk.