Horizon Hunters Gathering will be hosted this month, with new heroes, a playable episode, and more.
Guerilla Games held the first closed playtest for the game on PS5 and PC in February 2026, with players getting to explore three playable characters and two game modes. The upcoming playtest will add two more characters to the mix, introduce the game’s campaign, a new region, and additional difficulties.
Horizon Hunters Gathering Second Playtest Improves On Previous Playtest While Adding New Content
The second playtest for Horizon Hunters Gathering will be held from May 22 to 25 and will be available only on PS5 and PC. The only way to get into the playtest is by registering through the PlayStation Beta Program. Coming to the content included in the upcoming playtests, players will see the arrival of two new characters: Ensa, a charismatic Oseram smuggler with a mercenary past, and Shadow, a Carja covert operative who commands a fearsome Stalker machine.
The next focus of the playtest is Episodes, which provide an entry into the game’s narrative while revealing new mysteries, characters, and mechanics. As a Hunter, players will have to work towards saving Ashwater Valley from a horde of machines. Also, the Machine Incursion and Cauldron Descent modes return with added difficulties.
Coming to the new region, the Horizon Hunters Gathering second playtest will feature Breakers’ Bounty, where players can explore “dense jungles and ravaged ruins bordering a scorching desert home to dangerous machines.” Players will retain access to the Gathering and Devil’s Thirst in the upcoming playtest.
Lastly, Training Modules have been added to improve general onboarding for the game and its systems, which include Hunter NPCs that provide battle assists and fill-up spots in 3-player parties.
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