Whatever Happens in Horizon 3, One Antagonist is Almost Guaranteed to Survive

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It’s nearly certain that we’ll see a third installment in the Horizon series, following Horizon Forbidden West. The Horizon franchise has proven to be a major success for Sony, standing as one of its most crucial modern intellectual properties. The popularity is evident from spin-offs like LEGO Horizon Adventures and Horizon Call of the Mountain, suggesting that Sony may be exploring ways to develop the property beyond its main series. This could potentially have far-reaching impacts on the numerous unique characters, conflicts, and factions that define the series.

Spoilers ahead for Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.

In the upcoming installments, it’s expected that HEPHAESTUS, the renegade artificial intelligence, will remain a significant figure. This AI was initially designed by GAIA to manufacture Machines that would oversee Earth after humanity’s departure. Initially, Hephaestus followed its programming, creating harmless and useful Machines. However, over time, it started modifying existing Machines to become lethal and aggressive, and began constructing new ones with the sole purpose of destruction. By the end of Horizon Forbidden West, Hephaestus was still at large, suggesting a strong possibility that players will encounter it again in future games like Horizon 3.

The name of the AI is reminiscent of Hephaestus, the ancient Greek deity known for metalwork and crafting. Given the AI’s core objectives, this association seems quite appropriate.

Why Horizon’s HEPHAESTUS Isn’t Going Anywhere

HEPHAESTUS Could Be More Powerful Than Ever in Horizon 3

In the Horizon series, Hephaestus isn’t the primary villain, but a significant one. If Hephaestus didn’t exist, entities such as Hades wouldn’t be able to carry out their objectives because the machines wouldn’t be as aggressive or destructive. Regrettably for the inhabitants of the Horizon universe, it seems that Hephaestus may grow stronger in the next installment. This is due to hints suggesting that its encounter with Zenith technology at the end of Forbidden West will enable it to create even more menacing machines.

In simpler terms, when creating a franchise, especially for combat-focused video games like Horizon, it’s common to make the challenges more difficult with each new installment. This is to provide a logical reason for introducing new gameplay elements, enemies, and so forth. Considering this approach, it’s likely that HEPHAESTUS will continue to pose a significant threat in Horizon 3, alongside other challenges.

HEPHAESTUS Is an Easy Choice for Future Horizon Spin-Offs

Based on the immense popularity of the Horizon series and the trend of contemporary entertainment favoring franchise expansions, it’s possible that we could see spin-offs, quasi-sequels, supplementary stories, and the like in the future. If these side projects resemble something akin to LEGO Horizon Adventures, they may not require as much emphasis on plot or continuity. However, other spin-off titles might need a stronger focus on narrative content. Given the lukewarm reception to Horizon Adventures, it seems that more substantial and serious spin-offs could be more probable.

If this scenario unfolds, HEPAESTUS seems like a character that should definitely be considered for inclusion, to some extent. Given that the AI is the root cause of the malfunctioning machines, Guerrilla’s writers might find it useful to have HEPAESTUS up their sleeve: as long as there’s some version of HEPHAESTUS present, there are countless possibilities for new stories and conflicts. This becomes even more likely when thinking about potential events in _Horizon 3_. For example, if HEPAESTUS is weakened by the end of that game, it could become the main adversary in a smaller, less intense narrative. On the other hand, HEPAESTUS could switch sides and align with human interests, acting as an ally or even a gameplay aid in a different kind of _Horizon_ experience.

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2025-08-09 13:18