With the recent release of Horizon Zero Dawn: Remastered and LEGO Horizon Adventures, Guerrilla Games can now shift its focus to exciting new projects, namely the yet-to-be-named Horizon multiplayer game and the much-anticipated Horizon 3. Following the buzz of 2022’s Horizon Forbidden West and the subsequent 2023 Burning Shores expansion, fans are abuzz with theories about how this epic trilogy might conclude. One burning question on everyone’s mind: Will Aloy make her way across the Pacific Ocean to the technologically advanced Quen Empire for assistance, or will Sylens employ ancient 21st-century tech to bring down Nemesis? There’s plenty to speculate about, but one intriguing angle for Horizon 3 is looking at how existing tribes grapple with the revelations of humanity’s ancestral past, rather than merely introducing new tribes into the mix.
Given the series trajectory, no topic is more tantalizing than humanity’s rediscovery of old-world knowledge. Centuries ago, the collapse of Ted Faro’s APOLLO subroutine from Project: Zero Dawn left humanity to wander in a fog of ignorance. Shrouded in a landscape of towering mechanical beasts and the ruins of modern civilization, early human societies provided their own interpretations of the world, drawing parallels to ancient humans long before common eras. This void of historical knowledge led the secluded Nora to view automated security signals as messages from the deity All-Mother, while the Carja worshipped the sun as a divine being. In similar fashion, misinterpretations of ruins caused many tribes to demonize machines and AI, associating them with punishment meted out by their forebears.
Not every society, however, remained entirely in the dark. The Quen, like Indiana Jones with a twist, unearthed early Focus devices that allowed them limited insight into old-world datasets, which they used to create a technologically sophisticated empire. Meanwhile, ancient exhibits schooled the Tenakth on bygone military doctrines and tactics, offering a leg-up in their warrior society. The Oseram proved adept in salvaging these relics, like re-animating old-world tech such as the holographic wonders of Las Vegas, to fuel their own innovations. Individuals like Sylens in Horizon Zero Dawn stumbled upon Focus devices still scattered across the land, plugging them in to access functional old-world installations.
The plot thickens with Horizon 3, potentially exploring old-world knowledge. Throughout both Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, Aloy harnessed layers of historical insights thanks to her Focus, mentorship under Sylens, and her unique genetic status as a clone of Dr. Elisabet Sobeck, the mastermind behind Project: Zero Dawn. Bringing the narrative full circle, by the end of Forbidden West, Aloy and her crew scored a copy of APOLLO from the interstellar adventurers, Far Zenith, merging its treasure of wisdom with GAIA, the AI governing Zero Dawn. This allowed Aloy’s inner circle to increasingly delve into Earth’s forgotten histories, all the while strategizing on how to vanquish Nemesis. In the Burning Shores expansion, Erend expressed plans to gift Focus devices to the Oseram, gearing them up for the impending Nemesis battle.
While Erend and Aloy’s inner circle mean well in disseminating ancient knowledge among their tribes, this could shake the foundations of numerous communities deeply entrenched in beliefs and traditions carved out over centuries. Acknowledging that their revered cultures might be based on misconceptions could be an unpalatable pill for many to swallow, especially for tribes with dominant religious influences like the Utaru and the Carja. Within such tribes, leaders like Sun Priests may resist relinquishing their doctrinal grip if it means forfeiting their perceived spiritual authority.
As for reactions to these revelations in Horizon 3, conflicts may arise with established hierarchies. The Quen, despite their quest for reclaiming historical insights, may fiercely oppose Aloy’s educational endeavors, particularly due to their authoritative setup where only the elite access archaic data. This pushback could stem from fears of societal upheaval within their empire. Conversely, the Oseram and Tenakth may embrace the opportunity for technological and strategic growth that comes with newfound knowledge. Despite Aloy’s proven mettle across the Horizon saga, deep-seated prejudice could persist, and she may need to win over every tribe to unite them in the formidable struggle against Nemesis.
Through seven dynamic tribes featured in the Horizon series—for example, the Nora, Carja, Oseram, Banuk, Utaru, Tenakth, and Quen—the story world is rich with intrigue and potential. Reconciling the past with the present may just be the key to shaping the future for all of humanity in Horizon 3.
