{"id":1790254,"date":"2026-02-24T16:41:42","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T13:41:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1790254"},"modified":"2026-02-24T16:41:42","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T13:41:42","slug":"the-first-horizon-hunters-gathering-closed-beta-is-happening-this-weekend-and-just-as-marathon-has-its-own-sever-slam-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1790254","title":{"rendered":"The first Horizon Hunters Gathering closed beta is happening this weekend and just as Marathon has its own &#8220;sever slam&#8221; test"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/horizon-hunters-gathering\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Horizon Hunters Gathering<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">The first Horizon Hunters Gathering closed beta is happening this weekend and just as Marathon has its own &#8220;sever slam&#8221; test<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Get those bows ready.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/Horizon-Hunters-Gathering-characters.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Horizon Hunters Gathering - two characters\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"Horizon-Hunters-Gathering-characters.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Sony Interactive Entertainment<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/fran-j-ruiz-author.png?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"fran-j-ruiz-author.png\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/fran-ruiz\">Fran Ruiz<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Contributor<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\nPublished on <time datetime=\"2026-02-24T16:41:42+00:00\">Feb. 24, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">\n      <a class=\"comments__link comments-bubble\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/horizon-hunters-gathering-first-closed-beta-test-dates?view=comments\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n          1 comment<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"1bcb8067-8361-4a52-808f-942252728f51\" data-name=\"Horizon Hunters Gathering\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Horizon Hunters Gathering\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Horizon Hunters Gathering\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Horizon Hunters Gathering\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Horizon Hunters Gathering\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Horizon Hunters Gathering\" title=\"Follow Horizon Hunters Gathering\"><br \/>\n  Follow Horizon Hunters Gathering<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/horizon-hunters-gathering-is-a-three-player-tactical-co-op-game-that-looks-a-bit-like-dauntless-with-a-closed-playtest-coming-soon\">Horizon Hunters Gathering<\/a> wasn&#8217;t exactly what we were expecting when we first heard about Guerilla Games tackling an online multiplayer Horizon game for Sony, but the PS5 and PC &#8220;tactical co-op&#8221; title certainly looks interesting to enough to warrant a closer look. Now, it appears the first closed beta test is about to happen, and its timing is a bit funny.<\/p>\n<p>Via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pushsquare.com\/news\/2026\/02\/wait-some-fans-will-be-playing-horizons-divisive-ps5-pc-multiplayer-game-this-weekend\">Push Square<\/a> and social media posts, we&#8217;ve learned the first Horizon Hunters Gathering test will be happening during certain time slots this weekend. More specifically, from 7:00pm to 10:00pm CET in Europe, and 4:00pm to 7:00pm PST in North America; it&#8217;ll &#8220;get underway from 27th February and run until 1st March.&#8221; At the time of writing, it seems other regions are not part of this test.<\/p>\n<p>To access, you&#8217;ll need to both be part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playstation.com\/en-us\/beta-program-at-playstation\/\">PlayStation Beta Program<\/a> and get lucky. The good news is the closed test seems substantial, as it&#8217;ll include access to three different characters: Axle, Rem, and Sun. Two modes, Machine Incursion and Cauldron Descent, come with this test, which will happen exclusively &#8220;on the previously announced Colorado Springs map.&#8221; Moreover, the Gathering social space and a customisable camp site will also be available, which suggests development on the game is further along than many thought.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, Sony and Bungie will be hosting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/the-come-has-come-for-you-to-judge-marathon-for-yourself-again-theres-a-new-server-slam-running-late-feb-into-march\">Marathon&#8217;s &#8220;server slam&#8221; weekend<\/a> to test the game&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/bungie-outlines-marathon-networking-and-security-features\">online infrastructure<\/a> ahead of its launch on 5th March. Unlike the closed Horizon Hunters Gathering test, Marathon&#8217;s pre-release weekend is free for everyone and open, so we&#8217;re gonna assume Horizon&#8217;s little event is <em>really <\/em>limited when it comes to player numbers, as overlapping them (and the ensuing conversations) seems a bit silly.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/horizon-hunters-gathering-is-a-three-player-tactical-co-op-game-that-looks-a-bit-like-dauntless-with-a-closed-playtest-coming-soon\">Horizon Hunters Gathering<\/a> wasn&#8217;t exactly what we were expecting when we first heard about Guerilla Games tackling an online multiplayer Horizon game for Sony, but the PS5 and PC &#8220;tactical co-op&#8221; title certainly looks interesting to enough to warrant a closer look. Now, it appears the first closed beta test is about to happen, and its timing is a bit funny.<\/p>\n<p>Via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pushsquare.com\/news\/2026\/02\/wait-some-fans-will-be-playing-horizons-divisive-ps5-pc-multiplayer-game-this-weekend\">Push Square<\/a> and social media posts, we&#8217;ve learned the first Horizon Hunters Gathering test will be happening during certain time slots this weekend. More specifically, from 7:00pm to 10:00pm CET in Europe, and 4:00pm to 7:00pm PST in North America; it&#8217;ll &#8220;get underway from 27th February and run until 1st March.&#8221; At the time of writing, it seems other regions are not part of this test.<\/p>\n<p>To access, you&#8217;ll need to both be part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.playstation.com\/en-us\/beta-program-at-playstation\/\">PlayStation Beta Program<\/a> and get lucky. The good news is the closed test seems substantial, as it&#8217;ll include access to three different characters: Axle, Rem, and Sun. Two modes, Machine Incursion and Cauldron Descent, come with this test, which will happen exclusively &#8220;on the previously announced Colorado Springs map.&#8221; Moreover, the Gathering social space and a customisable camp site will also be available, which suggests development on the game is further along than many thought.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, Sony and Bungie will be hosting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/the-come-has-come-for-you-to-judge-marathon-for-yourself-again-theres-a-new-server-slam-running-late-feb-into-march\">Marathon&#8217;s &#8220;server slam&#8221; weekend<\/a> to test the game&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/bungie-outlines-marathon-networking-and-security-features\">online infrastructure<\/a> ahead of its launch on 5th March. Unlike the closed Horizon Hunters Gathering test, Marathon&#8217;s pre-release weekend is free for everyone and open, so we&#8217;re gonna assume Horizon&#8217;s little event is <em>really <\/em>limited when it comes to player numbers, as overlapping them (and the ensuing conversations) seems a bit silly.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Horizon Hunters Gathering The first Horizon Hunters Gathering closed beta is happening this weekend and just as Marathon has its own &#8220;sever slam&#8221; test Get those bows ready. Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment News by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on Feb. 24, 2026 1 comment Follow Horizon Hunters Gathering Horizon Hunters Gathering wasn&#8217;t [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-1790254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1790254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1790254"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1790254\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1790254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1790254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1790254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}