By Sagar V. Mankar 
South Korean gaming giant NCSoft has reportedly canceled three major projects, including codenamed titles Project Pantera, Project J, and Project H. The news, initially reported by South Korean outlet MTN, sparked widespread speculation, particularly surrounding the much-anticipated Horizon MMO. However, recent clarifications reveal a more nuanced situation.
What Projects Were Canceled?
MTN News first broke the story about the cancellations last week, noting that NCSoft had shelved multiple games. Speculation quickly grew that Project H was the unannounced Horizon MMO in development as part of a partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). However, according to MTN News reporter Seo Jeong-geun, Project H is unrelated to the Horizon universe. This clarification came via a post on the Korean gaming community site Ruliweb, where a user contacted Seo to confirm the project’s identity.
“The ‘H’ that I mentioned has nothing to do with Horizon,” Seo stated in a translated email. Despite this, Project H’s exact nature remains unclear, with the original report only mentioning that its development team included former employees from Entryv. No details about the game’s genre or team size have been disclosed, but some developers have reportedly left NCSoft, while others have been reassigned to different projects within the company.
The Horizon MMO: Safe for Now?
In late 2023, NCSoft announced a strategic partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment, led by SIE’s Jim Ryan and NCSoft’s Taekjin Kim. This partnership aimed to leverage both companies’ expertise to deliver groundbreaking gaming experiences. At the time, it was widely believed that NCSoft would develop an MMO set in the Horizon universe.
While the Horizon MMO remains unconfirmed, signs still point to its ongoing development. The confusion surrounding Project H’s cancellation fueled rumors that the Horizon MMO had also been scrapped. However, the Horizon MMO appears safe for now, especially given Guerrilla Games’ continued work on Horizon Online, a multiplayer title set in the Horizon universe. Confirmed in 2022, Horizon Online is expected to launch in 2025 and could attract up to one million players, according to projections.
Horizon franchise is a massive success for Sony. As of May 2023, the series has sold over 32 million copies globally, with Horizon Forbidden West contributing 8.4 million copies to that total.
Industry-Wide Reassessments
The cancellation of NCSoft’s projects reflects a broader trend in the gaming industry, where live-service games and ambitious projects face increased scrutiny. Sony, for example, recently canceled live-service projects from Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games. Industry insider Jeff Grubb reported that Sony is reassessing every project in development, signaling a shift in priorities for gaming companies worldwide.