Sony Is Pulling Horizon: Zero Dawn From PS Plus Amid PS5 Remaster Rumors [IGN]

Sony has signaled its intention to pull Horizon: Zero Dawn from PlayStation Plus later in May, fueling rumors the company is set to announce a PlayStation 5 remaster of the game.

Redditor Melodic_Cake_3344 spotted a new message on the PlayStation dash warning Horizon: Zero Dawn’s inclusion in the PS Plus Extra Game Catalog ends on May 21. As verified by Eurogamer, this specifically relates to Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition, which includes the Frozen Wilds expansion.

Sony’s decision to pull one of its biggest first-party games from PS Plus has only fueled rumors it is set to announce a PS5 remaster of Guerrilla’s much-loved action adventure, first released as a PlayStation 4 exclusive in 2017 before coming to PC in August 2020.

Reports of a Horizon: Zero Dawn remaster emerged in October 2022, when VGC said an updated version of Aloy’s first adventure on PS4 was set for PS5. We haven’t heard anything since, but the removal of Horizon: Zero Dawn from PS Plus may indicate the impending arrival of its remaster, possibly even shadow dropped as part of a May State of Play showcase.

According to VGC’s report, the Horizon Zero Dawn remaster features improved visuals to bring it up to par with its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, with new character models, lighting and animations. It will also have added accessibility features, graphics modes, and quality of life improvements to gameplay. Sony has yet to comment on the reports.

Following the news, some questioned the need for a Horizon Zero Dawn remaster, given the PS4 game is currently playable on PS5 with a 4K, 60 frames per second update. But it’s worth noting that Sony has form when it comes to remasters of its games, most recently releasing a remaster of Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man, a remake of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part I, and a remaster of The Last of Us Part II.

Sony has said it will not release any major existing PlayStation franchise games before April 2025, leaving ‘second-party’ exclusives such as Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2, Team Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin, and Shift Up’s Stellar Blade to plug the gaps this year. Remasters and remakes are also in-line to keep PlayStation going until a raft of significant exclusive PS5 games hit in 2025.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.