You all know how a couple months ago in May 2024, Sony removed Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition from their PS Plus Extra library? All without any explanation whatsoever to boot? Fans were speculating at the time that this was to pave way for a Horizon Zero Dawn remaster. In fact, Sony and Guerilla Games confirmed that remaster’s impending release at State of Play 2024, and also confirmed it to be coming out on October 31, 2024. They even confirmed that preorders for this remaster would open on October 3, 2024.
However, as it turns out, there’s a dark side to this remaster’s impending release. Something related to its delisting from PS Plus. As you can see from the title, it would seem that Sony is intent on eliminating any possible competition for Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. This includes any possible competition nearly wherever the PC port is available.
Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition Steam Delisting: Details
Fans looking at the Steam page for Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition will easily spot something amiss with the store page. The same thing will happen if you look at the game’s page on the Epic Games Store. In both online game stores, the game is no longer available to purchase. In fact, the only way you can even get this game anymore on either web store is by preordering it as a bundle with Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. Alas, Sony has no official explanation for this. All we can guess is that they want as little competition for the remaster as possible. Even if it’s coming from themselves.
Oh, but the “fun” isn’t over yet. According to IGN, Sony is also requiring that anyone wishing to play Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition or its remaster will need to sign up for a PSN acount. Yes, you read that right. Even though Horizon Zero Dawn in all versions is a single-player game only. Nothing about that decision makes any sense whatsoever. Its only purpose seems to be to lock out everyone who wishes to play Horizon Zero Dawn in a country that doesn’t support PSN. Alas, even IGN believes that it’s unlikely that Sony will reverse this decision. They seem determined to ignore player backlash over the required PSN account, so they might very well ignore this one.
However, you still have two ways to purchase Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition as of this writing. Funnily enough, one is on the PlayStation Store, where the game is still available for purchase. The other is on GOG.com, where you can play it completely free of DRM, online activation, or even online connection. Based on Sony’s behavior, it’s pretty clear which one is the better purchase.
Tune back in to THS to find out more about Horizon Zero Dawn and other video game news when we do.
Source: Steam, Epic Games Store, IGN
