How the Tribes in Horizon 3 Might Evolve from Zero Dawn and Forbidden West

Now that Guerrilla Games has wrapped up Horizon Zero Dawn: Remastered and LEGO Horizon Adventures, the studio can turn its focus towards two major projects on the horizon: a Horizon multiplayer game and the anticipated Horizon 3. Following the release of Horizon Forbidden West in 2022 and its Burning Shores expansion a year later, fans are eagerly speculating about how the Horizon saga might conclude. There’s chatter about Aloy possibly navigating the vast Pacific to ask for help from the advanced Quen Empire, or perhaps Sylens might unearth relics of 21st-century tech to take down Nemesis. Yet, one interesting direction Guerrilla might explore in Horizon 3 is showcasing how existing tribes are grappling with humanity’s history, rather than just introducing new tribes.

The Horizon series’ theme of rediscovering lost knowledge has fascinated players since Ted Faro took drastic steps to erase the APOLLO subroutine from Project: Zero Dawn, plunging humanity into an age of ignorance. In this futuristic yet primitive world, remnants of towering machines and ancient structures sparked reinterpretations akin to ancient folklore. For example, the Nora interpret automated security alerts as the voice of their deity, All-Mother, and the Carja hold the sun as sacred. Likewise, the appearance of giant machines has often been cloaked in myth, seen as divine punishment by many tribes.

Not all civilizations remain in the dark, however. The Quen, for instance, stumbled upon a cache of early Focus devices, providing them with glimmers of ancient tech knowledge, helping them build a technologically formidable empire. Meanwhile, the Tenakth learned military tactics from museum relics, and the Oseram managed to reactivate old-world holographics in Las Vegas, drawing inspiration from these ancient technologies. Such discoveries allow tribespeople to leverage Focus devices to tap into intact facilities from the old world, much like Sylens did.

By the time of Forbidden West, Aloy, equipped with her Focus and the guidance of Sylens, has gained considerable insight into the old world due in part to her identity as a genetic clone of Dr. Elisabet Sobeck—the visionary behind Project: Zero Dawn. By the game’s conclusion, Aloy and her allies manage to obtain a copy of APOLLO from the extraterrestrial Far Zenith group and merge it back with GAIA. This accomplishment opens up a gateway to humanity’s past, crucial for strategizing against the threat of Nemesis. In the Burning Shores expansion, Erend plans to supply the Oseram with Focus devices, prepping them for the looming conflict.

While introducing ancient knowledge to these tribes seems benevolent, it could also spark unrest. The time-weathered beliefs of these civilizations, solidified over centuries, might not take kindly to revelations that debunk their historical narratives. Particularly religious factions like the Utaru and Carja’s Sun Priests may resist as such truths could undermine their societal influence and theological narratives.

The reaction of the tribes to this newfound knowledge is expected to be mixed in Horizon 3. The Quen, with their hierarchical society where only elites access historical information, may react with hostility, viewing Aloy’s mission as a threat to their societal order. On the flip side, groups like the Oseram and Tenakth are likely to embrace this opportunity to enhance their technological and military prowess. Despite Aloy’s proven heroics, she’s set to face challenges rooted in deep-seated tribal biases as she seeks to unite these diverse groups against Nemesis.

In the Horizon universe, seven distinct tribes have been introduced so far, including the Nora, Carja, Oseram, Banuk, Utaru, Tenakth, and Quen. As Aloy continues her journey, navigating these complex societal dynamics will be key to her success in rallying allies once more.