Summary
Joris de Man, the composer of Guerrilla Games' 2017 smash hitHorizon Zero Dawn, recently shared his thoughts on the future of theKillzonefranchise. While de Man believes a remasteredKillzonecollection could be successful, he isn’t as confident about the viability of an entirely new entry in the first-person shooter series.
The firstKillzonegame launched in 2004 and kicked off a franchise that was perceived by many as PlayStation’s answer to first-person shooter titans likeCall of DutyandHalo.Killzoneaccrued popularity for its gritty, war-torn sci-fi aesthetic, impressive graphical fidelity, and the iconic Helghast. This enemy faction, with its varied military uniforms and glowing red eyes, became the calling card oftheKillzoneseries, and continues to be so even today. Unfortunately, the franchise has been largely dormant since the release of the 2013 PS4 launch titleKillzone: Shadow Fall, and even Guerrilla itself has moved on from it.
AnewKillzonegameseems unlikelier than ever, but fans have been requesting a remastered collection of prior entries since most of them aren’t natively playable on PS4 and PS5.VideogameraskedHorizon Zero Dawncomposer Joris de Man aboutKillzonein a recent interview, wherein he said “I think [a] remastered one would be successful.” However, de Manexpressed uncertainty about the feasibility of a brand-newKillzonetitle, stating that he’s not sure whether “people have moved on from it” and want something “a bit more casual, a bit more quick.”
Horizon Zero Dawn Composer Believes Killzone’s “Bleak” Tone Wouldn’t Conform to Modern Tastes
According to de Man, a newKillzonegame would have to account for the shift in modern “sensitivities” and player demands, which may not gel well with the franchise’s bleak and dystopian setting. Since this interview, though, some have disagreed with de Man’s notion thatKillzone’s tone is outdated. They argue that the real issue isn’tKillzone’s setting, but the waning demand for linear, story-driven first-person shooters these days due to the proliferation of live-service games. However, the recent success ofHelldivers 2andWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2proves that there is still an appetite for dystopian, war-driven shooters, and consequentlya place forKillzonein the modern era.
Speculation aside, the possibility ofKillzonereturning in any capacity ultimately remains in the hands of Sony and Guerrilla Games. Since the Amsterdam-based studiodidn’t even acknowledgeKillzone’s 20th anniversarylast year, it’s highly unlikely that Guerrilla is working on anything related to the franchise. However, Sony has expressed interest in leveraging PlayStation’s older IPs, and given the increasing demand forKillzone, a remaster or two (at the very least) may not entirely be off the table.
