The expansive world of Horizon, known for its post-apocalyptic landscapes and awe-inspiring machines, has demonstrated a remarkable capacity for genre exploration. Having already ventured into tabletop gaming with Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game and virtual reality with Horizon Call of the Mountain, and with a LEGO-themed adventure on the horizon, the franchise's potential remains vast. As of 2026, a compelling case can be made for Guerrilla Games to develop a dungeon-crawler spin-off, a genre that could uniquely leverage the series' rich lore and intricate environments. Such a game could offer a fresh, cooperative perspective on battling machines and uncovering the secrets of a world reclaimed by nature and rogue technology.

Dungeon-crawlers, by their very nature, focus on the thrill of exploration, combat, and loot within confined, labyrinthine spaces. While traditionally associated with fantasy realms—think of the iconic Diablo series or the first-person challenges of Legend of Grimrock—the core mechanics are surprisingly adaptable. Horizon's science-fiction setting, far from being a hindrance, provides a perfect foundation. The franchise already features built-in dungeons that are ripe for adaptation: the enigmatic Cauldrons and the perilous Old-World Ruins. These locations are not mere backdrops; they are complex, puzzle-filled environments teeming with hostile machines, hidden treasures, and narrative fragments waiting to be discovered.

In a hypothetical Horizon dungeon-crawler, these environments would become the primary playground. Cauldrons, the massive underground facilities where machines are forged, offer a perfect blend of industrial mystery and intense boss encounters. Imagine delving deep into a newly discovered Cauldron, its core guarded by a corrupted, hyper-aggressive machine variant, with the prize being a powerful new weapon schematic or a crucial data-point about HEPHAESTUS's whereabouts. Similarly, the crumbling ruins of the Old World could be reimagined as multi-level deathtraps, where players must navigate collapsed infrastructure, avoid environmental hazards, and fend off both mechanized threats and human scavengers to recover lost technology.

One of the most exciting possibilities a dungeon-crawler format unlocks is the chance to play as characters from the diverse tribes of the Horizon world. The action RPGs center on Aloy, but this spin-off could finally let players embody the unique cultures and skills of the Utaru, Oseram, Tenakth, and others through a class system. This would add tremendous depth to both gameplay and world-building.

• Utaru Healers: Drawing on their deep connection to the land and focus on community, Utaru characters could specialize in support, using herbal remedies and sonic-based technology to heal allies and pacify machines.

• Oseram Paladins/Tanks: Known for their engineering prowess and sturdy disposition, Oseram could be the frontline fighters, wielding heavy hammers and customized shields, capable of drawing machine aggression and repairing gear mid-fight.

• Tenakth Berserkers: The fierce warriors of the clan lands could fulfill a high-damage, agile role, utilizing their knowledge of machine weak points for devastating critical strikes with spears and tripcasters.

• Carja Arcanists: Scholars of the Sundom might manipulate Old World tech in unconventional ways, deploying holographic decoys, launching energy bolts, or temporarily disabling machine systems.

This class system would encourage cooperative play, with teams needing to balance healing, defense, and damage output to survive the hordes of machines within each dungeon.

Narratively, a dungeon-crawler set after the events of Horizon Forbidden West presents a golden opportunity. The primary objective could be the ongoing hunt for the rogue AI HEPHAESTUS. Having escaped capture with upgrades from the Far Zenith, HEPHAESTUS would be more dangerous and unpredictable than ever, creating new, more vicious machines in hidden, upgraded Cauldrons. Aloy, recognizing she cannot tackle this global threat alone, could recruit a specialized strike team from across the tribes—the player characters—to systematically investigate these new threat sites.

Each dungeon crawl could represent a mission to locate a fragment of HEPHAESTUS's code, sabotage a production line, or destroy a prototype machine. The story would unfold through audio logs, environmental storytelling within the dungeons, and briefings from a base of operations, perhaps a mobile settlement built from combined tribal knowledge. This structure allows for episodic, replayable content that deepens the lore while providing clear, action-oriented goals.

From a gameplay perspective, the loot system is a natural fit. Successfully clearing dungeons could reward players with:

Loot Type	Examples	Purpose
Weapons	Modified Sharpshot Bows, Volatile Blastslings, Chainwire Tripcasters	New attack styles & elemental effects
Armor/Weaves	Utaru Medic Weaves, Oseram Heavy Plating, Tenakth Strike Armor	Class-specific stat boosts & resistances
Mods & Coils	Override Coils, Tear Coils, Elite Damage Coils	Customizing weapon and armor performance
Resources & Schematics	Volatile Sludge, Ancient Cores, Weapon Blueprints	Crafting upgrades and new gear
Lore Items	Data-pads, Holographic Recordings, Glyph Sets	Unlocking story and world history

The potential for endgame content is also significant. Once the main story of hunting HEPHAESTUS is complete, players could tackle endlessly replayable Proving Grounds (procedurally generated dungeons), face off against Apex Machine Raids as super-bosses, or compete in time-trial leaderboards for rare cosmetic rewards. This ensures longevity and a constant challenge for dedicated players.

As the Horizon universe continues to expand beyond its core action RPG roots, a dungeon-crawler spin-off represents a logical and exciting next step. It would capitalize on the franchise's greatest strengths—its compelling world, iconic enemy design, and deep lore—while delivering a fresh, cooperative gameplay experience. By allowing players to embody the diverse tribes and raid the franchise's most iconic locations in a new format, Guerrilla Games could tap into a beloved genre and offer fans a thrilling new way to experience the machine-filled wilds. In 2026, with the franchise's popularity at an all-time high, the blueprint for such an adventure seems not only feasible but highly desirable.