PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Subscribers Can Now Play Guerrilla Games Acclaimed Open-World RPG Horizon Forbidden West at No Additional Cost

PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 owners subscribed to the higher tiers of Sony’s subscription service, PlayStation Plus Extra and PlayStation Premium, have gained access to one of the most prominent first-party titles of the modern console generation. Guerrilla Games’ critically acclaimed 2004—pardon, 2022—open-world action role-playing game, Horizon Forbidden West, has officially been added to the service’s rotating game catalog. While the title is a first-party release developed under the PlayStation Studios umbrella, historical trends indicate that its inclusion in the subscription library is likely temporary, following typical licensing and availability windows that span between 12 and 24 months.

For subscribers, this addition represents a substantial cost-saving opportunity, as the game typically retails for $40 on the PlayStation Store. Although Sony-published titles occasionally remain on the service indefinitely, previous library cycles demonstrate that even marquee first-party games are subjected to eventual removal. Consequently, active subscribers utilizing the Extra and Premium tiers are encouraged to claim and download the title while it remains accessible within the catalog.

Main Facts and Catalog Integration

The integration of Horizon Forbidden West into the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium libraries anchors a broader monthly update designed to bolster the service’s value proposition. PlayStation Plus Extra, which costs more than the baseline Essential tier, grants users access to a downloadable catalog of hundreds of PS4 and PS5 titles. The Premium tier further expands upon this by including classic games and cloud streaming options.

The inclusion of Horizon Forbidden West brings a massive, high-budget production directly to the service without requiring a separate transaction. Given that the game has maintained a robust retail price point years after its initial launch, its arrival on the subscription service is expected to drive a significant resurgence in concurrent players and community engagement.

Chronology and Background Context of the Franchise

To fully understand the significance of Horizon Forbidden West joining the subscription tier, it is necessary to examine the chronological progression of Guerrilla Games’ flagship intellectual property.

In February 2017, Amsterdam-based developer Guerrilla Games—historically renowned for the first-person shooter franchise Killzone—shifted genres entirely with the release of Horizon Zero Dawn exclusively for the PlayStation 4. The title introduced players to Aloy, an outcast in a lush, post-apocalyptic world overrun by colossal, animalistic machines. The game was a critical and commercial triumph, selling over 20 million copies by 2023 and establishing the foundation for a new cornerstone franchise for Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Building upon the narrative and technical foundation of its predecessor, Horizon Forbidden West was released on February 18, 2022, for both the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5. The sequel expanded the geographic scope of the franchise, transporting Aloy from the ruins of Utah and Colorado to the titular Forbidden West—a sweeping, decaying version of California, Nevada, and Utah.

Following the base game’s launch, Guerrilla Games continued to support the title with technical patches, performance modes, and a dedicated story-focused expansion titled Burning Shores, which launched exclusively on the PlayStation 5 in April 2023. This expansion leveraged the hardware capabilities of Sony’s current-generation console to render complex weather systems and massive aerial battles, further cementing the franchise’s reputation as a technical showcase for PlayStation hardware.

Supporting Data, Critical Reception, and Commercial Performance

Horizon Forbidden West launched to widespread critical acclaim, securing an 88 out of 100 aggregate score on Metacritic for its PlayStation 5 version. Reviewers praised its breathtaking visual fidelity, refined combat mechanics, expanded traversal options—such as the Shieldwing and Diving Mask—and intricate world-building.

The title’s industry standing was further validated during the 2022 award season. Horizon Forbidden West earned seven nominations at The Game Awards 2022, including a coveted nomination for Game of the Year, alongside nods in categories spanning narrative, art direction, audio design, and performance.

Despite its critical success, the commercial trajectory of Horizon Forbidden West presents an interesting case study within the games industry. While it has sold millions of copies worldwide, industry analysts note that its sales velocity has lagged behind its predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn, during comparable windows in their respective lifecycles. This divergence is attributed to several factors, including broader macroeconomic shifts, the transitional phase of the console generation during its launch window, and the growing prevalence of subscription services that condition consumers to wait for titles to enter digital libraries.

Despite trailing the unprecedented sales milestone of the first game, Horizon Forbidden West maintains a stellar consumer rating of 4.62 out of 5 stars on the official PlayStation Store, reflecting deep satisfaction among the active player base.

Gameplay Scope and Time Commitment

For subscribers contemplating whether to download Horizon Forbidden West, understanding the game’s scope and time investment is vital. As a sprawling open-world role-playing game, the title offers varying tiers of engagement depending on playstyle:

• Main Story Focus: Players who choose to focus exclusively on the primary narrative campaign will require approximately 25 to 30 hours of playtime.
• Balanced Playstyle: Engaging with a healthy mix of side quests, exploration, and secondary content pushes the runtime to roughly 60 to 70 hours.
• Completionist Run: Players aiming to achieve a 100% completion rate—uncovering every collectible, upgrading all gear, and finishing every optional activity—will need between 90 and 100 hours.

While narrative continuity connects the events of the sequel directly to Zero Dawn, new players who wish to bypass the first game can utilize comprehensive story recaps available across digital platforms to understand the overarching lore before entering the Forbidden West.

Broader Impact and Implications for PlayStation Plus Strategy

The addition of high-profile, first-party titles like Horizon Forbidden West to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium underscores Sony’s evolving strategy for its subscription ecosystem. As competition within the subscription gaming market intensifies, platform holders face increasing pressure to deliver immediate, high-value incentives to retain subscribers and attract new users to higher-tier plans.

By introducing a critically acclaimed, $40 AAA title to the service, Sony provides immediate tangible value, mitigating subscriber churn. However, the temporary nature of these catalog inclusions highlights a deliberate balancing act. Sony must weigh the short-term boost in engagement and subscription renewals against the potential cannibalization of ongoing retail sales.

Furthermore, this strategy positions the Horizon franchise for long-term multi-media and gaming expansion. With ongoing rumors and confirmations regarding future projects within the universe—including a planned multiplayer game and potential narrative continuations—keeping the established single-player entries accessible to the broadest possible audience on PlayStation hardware remains a priority for Sony Interactive Entertainment.

As Horizon Forbidden West joins the service alongside other recent additions, subscribers now have unrestricted access to one of the definitive technical and narrative achievements of the current console generation, provided they complete their journeys before the title eventually rotates out of the catalog in the months or years to come.