Editing Machines (Horizon)

{{Short description|Video game antagonists}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Machines (''Horizon'')}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2026}}
{{Use list-defined references|date=March 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}}
{{Infobox fictional race
| franchise     = ''[[Horizon (video game series)|Horizon]]''
| image         = Thunderjaw Horizon.png
| image_upright = 1.25
| caption       = The ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]''-inspired Thunderjaw served as the [[proof of concept]] for the franchise
| alt           = A robot dinosaur facing to the left with white armour plating, and weapons and antennas on its back
| first         = ''[[Horizon Zero Dawn]]'' (2017)
| creator       = [[Guerrilla Games]]
| genre         = [[Science fiction]]
| type          = [[Robot]]
| iu_creator    = HEPHAESTUS{{efn|Exceptions are the Chariot line created by Faro Automated Solutions and the Far Zenith Specter drones.<ref name="ChariotLine" /><ref name="FZDrones" />}}
}}
'''Machines''' are the primary [[antagonist]]s and central ecological elements of the ''[[Horizon (video game series)|Horizon]]'' video game franchise developed by [[Guerrilla Games]]. Introduced in ''[[Horizon Zero Dawn]]'' (2017), they are highly advanced, zoomorphic [[robot]]s that dominate Earth in a [[Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction|post-apocalyptic]] 31st century. In the franchise's lore, the majority of the machines were designed by an [[artificial intelligence]] to act as caretakers of the [[biosphere]], with each type fulfilling a specific ecological role to restore the planet following the "Faro Plague", an apocalyptic event caused by self-replicating military robots that consumed the Earth's [[biomass]]. Manufactured in massive, automated Cauldrons by the AI subordinate function HEPHAESTUS, the terraforming machines were originally docile. However, they became highly aggressive towards humans during a phenomenon known as "the Derangement", shifting from peaceful caretakers into deadly hunter-killers. The franchise also features other antagonistic machine factions, including reactivated Faro Plague military robots and the highly advanced Specter drones created by the Far Zenith colonists.

The machines were designed around a core concept of juxtaposition, contrasting primitive human hunters against futuristic technology. To ensure the machines felt like believable parts of a living ecosystem, the developers consulted robotics engineers from the [[Delft University of Technology]] to design functional armour plating that acts as an [[exoskeleton]]. Guerrilla used visual storytelling and systemic audio design to differentiate the machines' origins: the terraforming machines were modelled after vertebrate animals and [[anthropomorphism|anthropomorphised]] with distinct personalities, while the ancient "Old World" military machines used a militaristic, invertebrate-influenced aesthetic. The development team prototyped the core destructible-armour combat using blocky, [[Lego Duplo|Duplo]]-like digital models to build the ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]''-inspired Thunderjaw, which served as the franchise's [[proof of concept]]. The mechanical ecosystem was significantly expanded in sequels and spin-offs, with animators drawing inspiration from nature documentaries and viral animal videos to create realistic movement patterns.

Critical reception to the machines has been highly positive, with reviewers praising their detailed visual designs, immersive audio, and the tactical depth of shooting off specific components during combat. However, encounters in ''[[Horizon Forbidden West]]'' (2022) faced some criticism regarding mechanical bloat, tedious upgrade grinds, and highly aggressive artificial intelligence that could occasionally turn tactical hunts into chaotic battles. Academically, the mechanical ecosystem has been the subject of thematic analysis regarding [[posthumanism]] and [[ecofeminism]], with critics praising the narrative's focus on coexistence and interpreting the human-machine relationship as a healthy, low-waste [[symbiosis]]. Conversely, other scholars have analysed the machines as sites of "colonial realism" that promote [[Exploitation of labour|capitalist exploitation]], further noting a thematic dissonance between the franchise's ecological messaging and its real-world reliance on [[Outsourcing|outsourced]] labour and hardware-intensive [[server farm]]s.

== Concept and creation ==

=== Origins and visual design ===
[[File:Giraffe Mikumi National Park.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|[[Giraffe]]s served as the primary visual inspiration for the Tallneck, the only machine in the franchise that is entirely peaceful and cannot be harmed.<ref name="Artbook" /><ref name="GBHZDMachines" />|alt=A giraffe facing left and standing in grass with a tree to its right]]

The initial concept for the machines in ''[[Horizon Zero Dawn]]'' (2017) drew heavily from the militaristic and industrial aesthetic of [[Guerrilla Games]]' previous franchise, ''[[Killzone]]''. However, this direction was abandoned after playtesters reported feeling more like traditional soldiers than tribal hunters; these early designs were instead repurposed as the game's ancient "Old World" machines.<ref name="NoClip" /> The core design philosophy shifted to focus on "juxtaposition": placing primitive humanity against highly advanced, futuristic technology to create a world where humans are no longer the dominant species.<ref name="GIOrigins" /> When establishing the visual language of the newer terraforming machines, the team aimed for an animalistic aesthetic. Early on, they experimented with how closely the machines should mimic real-life [[fauna]], but direct comparisons were scrapped for looking unnatural. To avoid predictability, the team combined features of multiple creatures to keep their exact inspirations vague.<ref name="MachineConcept" /> However, several machines were heavily inspired by recognisable animals so their behaviours could be easily understood by the player; for instance, Tallnecks were inspired by [[giraffes]], Stalkers by [[maned wolves]], Longlegs by [[Phorusrhacidae|terror birds]], and Watchers by [[meerkat]]s and small bipedal [[dinosaur]]s.<ref name="Artbook" /> The look of a machine was designed to tell the player its function immediately; the Watcher, for example, was designed to resemble a [[security camera]].<ref name="HFWReBuilding" /><ref name="Function" />

When expanding the mechanical ecosystem for ''[[Horizon Forbidden West]]'' (2022), the designers focused on filling specific ecological niches within the new environments. For example, the Sunwing was introduced to fulfil the need for a flying machine larger than the returning Glinthawk. By studying primitive birds and flying reptiles, the team designed the Sunwing with [[photovoltaic]] wings that collect [[solar energy]].<ref name="HFWReBuilding" /> For ''Forbidden West''{{'s}} [[Expansion pack|expansion]], ''[[Burning Shores]]'', the team introduced the [[pelican]]-inspired Waterwing, which was designed to fundamentally change player traversal by adding a seamless transition between high-altitude flying and deep-sea diving.<ref name="Waterwing" /> Guerrilla used visual design to distinguish the distinct origins of the machines in the game's lore. While the newer terraforming machines were based mostly on vertebrates, the Old World Chariot line was intentionally designed with an invertebrate aesthetic, drawing from [[insect]]s, [[arachnid]]s, and [[crustacean]]s to emphasise their original purpose as hostile weapons.<ref name="Artbook" /> The colossal Horus units were designed specifically to visually demonstrate the apocalyptic destruction of the Old World, using a giant, insectoid design that allowed the machines to drape dynamically across the environment.<ref name="HorusBoss" />

=== Anatomy and technical prototyping ===
Seeking a realistic foundation for robotic anatomy, the developers consulted the robotics department of the [[Delft University of Technology]]. Engineers advised against traditional internal skeletons, which are common points of failure in nature. Instead, they suggested an [[exoskeleton]] approach similar to that of [[lobster]]s. This advice shaped the definitive anatomy of the machines: a sturdy, external metal framework protecting softer, internal "tissue" (components). Functionally, this anatomical choice improved visual durability and provided logical, internal "soft spots" that the player could expose and exploit.<ref name="LivingCreatures" /> Artists used [[ZBrush]] to sculpt high-detail components like hydraulic joints and armour plates, designing the machines as if they could be physically constructed in reality.<ref name="Outsourcing" />

[[File:Early Thunderjaw Prototype for Horizon Zero Dawn.jpg|thumb|An early in-engine prototype of the Thunderjaw, constructed from a [[Lego Duplo|Duplo]]-like 3D model.|alt=A person shooting a gun at a grey dinosaur with red areas and green antennas]]

The game's overarching mechanics were established through technical prototypes. An early machine dubbed the "Predator" appeared as a holographic [[Easter egg (media)|Easter egg]] in ''[[Killzone Shadow Fall]]'' (2013), with many of its behaviour routines eventually adapted for the Sawtooth.<ref name="2YearAnniversary" /> Early tests with a [[scorpion]] concept revealed gameplay issues because its thin limbs lacked sufficient surface area for the player to hit, further solidifying the need for larger machines with modular parts. The true [[proof of concept]] was the [[Tyrannosaurus rex]]-inspired Thunderjaw.<ref name="MachineConcept" /> It took the development team 18 months to bring the Thunderjaw from an initial sketch to a functional in-game state. To test scale and movement, the very first in-engine iteration was constructed using blocky, "[[Lego Duplo|Duplo]]"-like 3D models with basic animations.<ref name="GIOrigins" /> By successfully implementing destructible armour plating and testing fundamental interactions, such as shooting off weapons or triggering behaviours by striking weak points, the developers learned how to make the core gameplay work.<ref name="LivingCreatures" /> These systems were then scaled down and integrated into smaller machines to ensure combat remained readable.<ref name="NoClip" /> To further aid this readability, the developers intentionally avoided overloading the machines with blinking lights and colours during combat so the player could easily identify their status.<ref name="LivingCreatures" /> The original Thunderjaw prototype eventually brought the franchise's development full circle with the release of the spin-off ''[[Lego Horizon Adventures]]'' (2024), which visually reimagined ''Zero Dawn'' using [[Lego]] bricks. To ensure authenticity, every machine in the game was built brick-by-brick by "master builders" following the strict rules of physical Lego, meaning the digital machines could technically be assembled in real life.<ref name="IGNLegoAdventures" />

=== Animation and audio design ===
To animate and telegraph the machines realistically, the development team took courses in animal and creature animation and consulted Dr. Stuart Sumida, an anatomical consultant for film and theme parks.<ref name="LivingCreatures" /> Lead animator Richard Oud noted that the team frequently used viral videos of bizarre animal behaviour to inspire unique attack patterns. For example, the Bellowback's fluid-flinging attack was inspired by a real-world fight between an [[emu]] and a [[kangaroo]]; animators noticed the emu curled its neck like a baseball pitcher winding up a throw, which fit the machine perfectly. The burrowing Rockbreaker's movements were based on footage of [[sea lion]]s fighting to portray a mix of heaviness and agility, while the [[bear]]-like Frostclaw's distinct tumbling attacks were inspired by the feisty rolling of [[red panda]]s.<ref name="GRAnimals" /> Animation was deeply tied to machine status; for example, the [[Hermit crab]]-like Shellwalker has 150 unique animations, and its behaviour changes based on its components. If the player shoots off its cargo clamp, it will use its claw to manually hold onto its crate, sacrificing a weapon to save its resource.<ref name="GIMachines" />

[[File:Horus Concept Art for Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores.jpg|thumb|left|Concept art of a Horus, which were designed to visually demonstrate the apocalyptic destruction of the Old World. Senior Art Director Misja Baas said that their design allowed the developers to "drape the machine on the landscape and make it look very dynamic", serving as environmental storytelling that captures the last moments of life on Earth.<ref name="HorusBoss" />|alt=A large mechanical machine with multiple long legs and the partially destroyed Hollywood Sign]]

While Horus units appear as dormant landmarks in ''Zero Dawn'' and ''Forbidden West'', a fully operational unit was developed to serve as the final boss encounter in ''Burning Shores''. The animation team had to navigate massive technical complexity, as the Horus features over 1,240 articulation joints, which was a massive increase compared to the base game's most complex machine, the Slitherfang, which capped at 240. To reflect its nature as an ancient weapon reanimated by an external force, its movements were themed around a "shambling zombie"; instead of powering through smoothly, it was animated to lurch, struggle, and claw its way forward uncoordinatedly.<ref name="HorusBoss" />

Sound designers balanced robotic and animalistic noises to create an "emotional impact", an approach the audio team dubbed "natural-fiction".<ref name="NaturalFiction" /> To ensure the machines felt grounded in reality, the audio team avoided relying exclusively on synthetic noises, instead anchoring the digital samples by layering them with organic, real-world animal recordings.<ref name="GuerillaAudioInterview" /> By dynamically blending synthetic, electronic creaks with these organic vocalisations, they gave most machines between 200 and 300 unique sounds, with another 150 shared across types.<ref name="GIMachines" /> To guide these vocalisations, the designers [[anthropomorphism|anthropomorphised]] the machines with distinct personalities; for example, the Shell-Walker's audio was designed to mimic a "grumpy crab-guy" annoyed by his work, while the Watcher was modelled after a "crazy [[Chihuahua (dog breed)|Chihuahua]]".<ref name="NaturalFiction" /> However, rather than simply pitch-shifting the recordings to fit these personalities, the team sometimes analysed the acoustic data of a real animal's call, such as its pitch modulation, and applied that data to recreate the exact auditory pattern with entirely synthetic sources.<ref name="GIMachines" />

The team used audio to further distinguish the origins of the different machine classes. When designing the futuristic terraforming machines, sound designer Pinar Temiz intentionally avoided using traditional metal scraping noises because listening to them caused her physical discomfort. She used the lore of exotic, futuristic alloys to justify this limitation, resulting in a unique sonic profile that relied heavily on animalistic cues.<ref name="NaturalFiction" /> To ground the machines in the world, the audio team created unique [[Foley (filmmaking)|Foley]] for machines walking across different terrains to convey their weight.<ref name="GIMachines" /> The underground environments that manufacture the machines, known as Cauldrons, were similarly designed to contrast the natural world. Because humans had never set foot in them, their audio was engineered to sound like loud, early [[Industrial Revolution]] factories lacking acoustic protection, mixed with slick, alien synthesisers.<ref name="GuerillaAudioInterview" /> Conversely, the ancient Old World military machines lack vocalisations entirely, instead relying on heavy, traditional metallic clanks to communicate that they were built using older, recognisable human technology.<ref name="NaturalFiction" />

To ensure the hundreds of unique sounds did not overwhelm the player, Principal Sound Designer Anton Woldhek and programmer Andreas Varga built a highly flexible, systemic audio engine called Guerrilla Dynamic Audio (GuDA). Rather than using hard-coded audio triggers, the engine actively monitors the environment and dynamically mixes the machine sounds, weather effects, and the musical score so they do not overlap and clash. This system actively reacts to variables such as the player's current biome, the number of enemies present, and the shifting "emotional" states of the machines,<ref name="GuerillaAudioInterview"/> altering a machine's vocalisations dynamically based on whether it is suspicious or aggressive.<ref name="GIMachines"/> To upgrade the audio for the new machines in ''Forbidden West'', the developers designed highly specific audio cues that allow the player to predict a machine's behaviour, such as distinct sounds for idling, alerting others, or initiating attacks. These details were further amplified by the [[PlayStation 5]]'s 3D audio capabilities to provide the player with greater situational awareness.<ref name="HFWReBuilding" />

=== Gameplay integration and AI ecosystem ===
Because the machines are established as caretakers of the Earth, the development team programmed each type to exhibit behaviours that match specific roles within a functioning ecosystem.<ref name="HFWReBuilding" /> To dictate machine behaviour, the developers used [[hierarchical task network]] (HTN) planning, allowing the [[Artificial intelligence in video games|artificial intelligence]] (AI) to generate sequences of actions rather than single behaviours. This system enables different machine classes to react dynamically; for instance, Acquisition machines may flee while Combat and Recon machines coordinate to hunt the player.<ref name="BehindTheAIP1" /> To handle navigation, Guerrilla built two distinct systems. Ground-based machines use a [[navigation mesh]] (NavMesh) that adapts to complex terrain changes, while flying machines use a completely separate aerial navigation system based on a runtime-generated [[heightmap]].<ref name="BehindTheAIP2" />

The combat system was designed to facilitate a sense of progression. The ability to shoot off weapons gives the player a temporary "power spike", which is balanced by making these detached weapons heavy and limiting their ammunition.<ref name="GIOrigins" /> The player can also hack or "override" machines using a device attached to [[Aloy]]'s spear.<ref name="AloySpear" /> While some overridden machines can be used as ridable [[Working animal#Riding animals or mounts|mounts]], others will only temporarily fight alongside the player.<ref name="HZDOverrides" /> The developers chose not to let the player directly control the machines' actions after overriding them, ensuring they remain independent entities within the ecosystem.<ref name="ControlMachines" /> In ''Forbidden West'', this mechanic was slightly expanded, allowing the player to specify whether an overridden machine should take aggressive or defensive stances.<ref name="OverrideSubroutines" />

As hardware capabilities improved for ''Forbidden West'', the mechanical ecosystem was significantly expanded. Machines gained increased mobility, allowing them to jump, swim, and cling to surfaces.<ref name="HFWReBuilding" /> The developers also integrated human and machine factions more closely, designing encounters where human enemies actively commandeer machines.<ref name="Evolving" /> To increase the challenge, the game introduced "Apex" variants: heavily armoured, deadlier versions of standard machines.<ref name="GDCHFW" /> Developing the [[virtual reality]] (VR) spin-off ''[[Horizon Call of the Mountain]]'' (2023) required Guerrilla and co-developer [[Firesprite]] to rethink how the player interacts with the mechanical ecosystem. Guerrilla studio director Jan-Bart van Beek noted that giving the player virtual hands created the expectation of realistic, physical interactions; to achieve this, the team used the [[PlayStation VR2]]'s adaptive triggers to simulate the tactile tension of a bowstring and the resistance of climbing handholds.<ref name="UEHCM" /> The developers found that navigating a 3D combat space while fighting massive machines was too cognitively overwhelming for the player in VR. As a solution, they pioneered a lock-on combat system that anchors the player to a circular path around the enemy, allowing for faster and more dynamic dodging without the need for constant manual camera realignment.<ref name="RoadToVR" />

The franchise's mechanical ecosystem is being further adapted for multiplayer-focused spin-offs. For the upcoming ''[[Horizon Steel Frontiers]]'', an [[MMORPG]] developed for [[Mobile game|mobile]] and [[Windows]], developer [[NCSoft]], in collaboration with Guerrilla, restructured the combat to accommodate large-scale cooperative raids heavily inspired by the ''[[Monster Hunter]]'' franchise. To translate the tactical depth of the mainline games into an MMO setting, the developers introduced new mechanics, such as the ability to use a [[grappling hook]] to climb directly onto damaged machine parts to set traps, and the ability to transport detached heavy weapons using mounts.<ref name="HSFMachineCombat" /> Alternatively, Guerrilla's upcoming PS5 and PC [[Cooperative video game|cooperative game]], ''[[Horizon Hunters Gathering]]'', adapts the machines for [[roguelite]] gameplay. Players must coordinate class-based roles to survive "Machine Incursions", wave-based encounters where machines pour out of underground gateways, and navigate "Cauldron Descents", which feature procedurally shifting rooms of machine encounters.<ref name="HHGStyle" />

== Background ==
The mid-21st century was dominated by the robotics corporation Faro Automated Solutions, which developed a series of advanced, autonomous military robots. In 2064, a glitch severed these robots from their chain of command. Equipped with the ability to rapidly self-replicate and consume [[biomass]] for fuel, the swarm became an unstoppable force that consumed all of the Earth's life in an apocalyptic event known as the "Faro Plague". To ensure life could eventually return, Dr. Elisabet Sobeck established Project Zero Dawn, creating an advanced artificial intelligence named GAIA to crack the swarm's deactivation codes and terraform the lifeless planet over centuries.

To restore the Earth's [[biosphere]], GAIA designed a new generation of machines based on extinct and extant wildlife. Manufactured in massive, automated underground factories known as Cauldrons by GAIA's subordinate function, HEPHAESTUS, these machines functioned as a mechanical ecosystem designated to purify water, detoxify soil, and reintroduce flora. By the 31st century, humanity had been reintroduced to the planet for generations. During this time, these terraforming machines were docile and generally fled from humans, allowing primitive tribes to coexist with them and hunt them for basic resources.

Approximately two decades before the events of ''Zero Dawn'', a mysterious extinction signal targeted GAIA, causing her subordinate functions to become independent, self-aware AIs. Without GAIA's governing control, HEPHAESTUS began to view the human tribes' continual hunting as a direct threat to the terraforming system. In response, HEPHAESTUS initiated "The Derangement", reprogramming existing machines to become highly aggressive and manufacturing entirely new "Combat Class" machines, such as the Sawtooth and Thunderjaw, to cull the human population. Simultaneously, the extinction signal awakened HADES, the subordinate function originally designed to wipe the slate clean if terraforming failed. In ''Zero Dawn'', HADES attempts to fulfil its protocol by manipulating a human cult into unearthing and reactivating dormant Faro Plague military machines, such as the Corruptor and the Deathbringer, to destroy the restored biosphere.

''Forbidden West'' introduces an additional faction of machines alongside the Faro and HEPHAESTUS creations. The Specters are highly advanced, futuristic combat drones created by Far Zenith, a group of wealthy humans who escaped the Faro Plague to establish a colony in the [[Sirius]] star system. Unlike Earth's machines, Specters are primarily composed of a solid inner structure covered in a malleable, white-gold armour made of advanced [[nanotechnology]]. The game's climax reveals that the Zeniths are fleeing from "Nemesis", a highly advanced, hostile AI created from the digitalised, amalgamated minds of the Far Zenith founders. Nemesis is revealed to be the source of the mysterious extinction signal that shattered GAIA; its goal was to destroy Earth's biosphere to deny the fleeing Zeniths a safe haven, inadvertently causing the Derangement in the process.

== Reception and analysis ==

=== Gameplay and encounters ===
Reviewers have consistently praised the machines as the standout feature of the franchise. ''[[Game Informer]]''{{'s}} Jeff Marchiafava stated that the machines "absolutely steal the show" by injecting the world with danger and making combat feel unique, keeping the player constantly engaged alongside the "[[Pavlovian response]]" of open-world scavenging tasks.<ref name="GIHZDReview" /> ''[[IGN]]''{{'s}} Lucy O'Brien praised the tactical depth of the combat, noting that the ability to scan the distinct species for weak points and physically shoot off their components fundamentally changes how each fight plays out. She highlighted the ferocity of the machines, which act authentically animalistic and ensure that every major battle maintains a vital sense of danger.<ref name="IGNHZDReview" />

Several machine types have been highlighted as standout encounters due to their complex designs and challenging hunting mechanics. The Thunderjaw is widely considered one of the most iconic and dangerous machines in the game; these fights can turn into lengthy "battles of attrition" where a key strategy involves using precision to detach its powerful disc launcher and turn its own firepower against it.<ref name="GIHZDReview" /><ref name="InverseHZD" /> Other notable combat machines include the Stormbird, a highly mobile aerial threat; the Stalker, which uses [[optical camouflage]] to ambush the player; and the Snapmaw, a mechanical [[crocodile]] that harvests solar energy and spits super-cooled liquid.<ref name="InverseHZD" /><ref name="FTAP" /> Conversely, the Tallneck was singled out by ''GamingBolt'' as a creative, majestic take on the traditional [[open world|open-world]] map tower, being the only machine in the game that is entirely peaceful and cannot be harmed.<ref name="GBHZDMachines" />

For ''Forbidden West'', critics noted the increased deadliness and smarter AI of the machines, appreciating the introduction of dynamic combat elements, such as machines kicking up dust that the player could use for stealth.<ref name="IGNHFWMachines" /> ''IGN''{{'s}} Simon Cardy praised the sequel's combat, concluding that battles with the larger machines reach a scale and quality that many other games aspire to for their grand finales.<ref name="IGNHFWReview" /> However, the machine encounters have faced some criticism regarding mechanical bloat and pacing. Critics noted that ''Forbidden West'' occasionally overwhelmed the player with an excess of convoluted weapon variants, overwhelming skill trees, and tedious upgrade grinds.<ref name="EurogamerHFWReview" /><ref name="KotakuHFWReview" /> Furthermore, while the AI upgrades were praised for increasing difficulty, Wesley LeBlanc from ''Game Informer'' noted that the machines were highly aggressive, warning that the combat was very challenging and the player could be defeated quickly.<ref name="GIAgressive" /> Combined with punishingly fast damage when Aloy is knocked down, and melee mechanics that remained largely risky or unviable against larger machines-a criticism carried over from ''Zero Dawn'',<ref name="GSpotHZDReview" /><ref name="RPGFanHFWCompleteReview" /> ''[[GamesRadar+]]'' found that encounters could occasionally devolve from careful, tactical hunts into chaotic battles.<ref name="GRHFWReview" />

The adaptation of the machines in spin-off titles received mixed reactions. Cardy praised the VR title ''Call of the Mountain'' for providing a renewed sense of scale and spectacle, turning encounters with previously familiar enemies into "blockbuster scale" experiences.<ref name="IGNHCMReview" /> However, ''[[Eurogamer]]'''{{'s}} Ian Higton noted that the combat felt somewhat restrictive, as major encounters lock the player onto a circular path around the machines rather than allowing for open-world freedom.<ref name="EurogamerHCMPreview" /> Reception to the combat in ''Lego Horizon Adventures'' was similarly mixed. ''IGN''{{'s}} Jada Griffin called the combat a "simple but satisfying exercise", noting that detaching specific machine parts successfully altered enemy behaviours during fights.<ref name="IGNLegoReview" /> Katharine Castle of ''Eurogamer'' similarly highlighted the machine encounters as the game's strongest element, praising the blocky redesigns of the recognisable machines and noting that manoeuvring to target weak points gave the fights a "real sense of pep and challenge".<ref name="EurogamerLegoReview" /> Conversely, ''Nintendo World Report'' felt the translation lacked the precision of the mainline series. They added that the removal of slow-motion aiming made accurately shooting off parts much harder, and that combat could frequently devolve into a chaotic and imprecise experience, particularly when playing in local co-op mode.<ref name="NWRLegoRev" />

=== Visuals and audio ===
The machines have been praised by critics for their highly detailed visual design and complex animation.<ref name="GIMachines" /><ref name="IGNHZDReview" /><ref name="IGNHFWReview" /> Reviewers highlighted the creative blend of natural, animalistic anatomy with functional industrial components, noting that the mechanized fauna felt like a believable part of the [[Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction|post-apocalyptic]] ecosystem.<ref name="GRAnimals" /><ref name="GSpotHZDReview" /> For ''Forbidden West'', critics praised the massive upgrades to the animation systems, noting how dynamically the machines moved, reacted to their environment, and displayed realistic battle-wear on their armour plating.<ref name="IGNHFWReview" /><ref name="EurogamerHFWReview" /><ref name="IGNHFWDetails" /><ref name="GIHFWMachines" />

The mechanical ecosystem's sound design was lauded for heightening the franchise's immersion.<ref name="GIHZDReview" /><ref name="DenOfGeekHZDPCRev" /> Critics praised the dynamic mix of synthetic, electronic creaks with real-world animal vocalisations, noting that the heavy metallic footsteps, screeching metal, and animal-like roars gave the machines a tangible sense of weight.<ref name="GIMachines" /><ref name="GIHZDReview" /><ref name="IGNFWReview" /> This auditory immersion was further expanded in ''Forbidden West'', with critics highlighting how the soundtrack brilliantly wove heavy electronic synthesisers into traditional acoustic instruments.<ref name="GRHFWReview" /><ref name="RPGFanHFWSoundtrack" /><ref name="GIHFWReview" /> With the release of newer hardware, reviewers also praised the integration of 3D audio and [[DualSense]] controller haptics, noting how the controllers physically mirror the movements of the machines, allowing the player to feel the heavy, rumbling footsteps vibrating through their hands.<ref name="IGNHFWDetails" /><ref name="TRHZDRemasterReview" />

=== Thematic and critical analysis ===
Jesús Fernández-Caro noted that ''Zero Dawn'' blurs the traditional boundaries dividing humans, animals, and machines, placing them all on a shared "continuum of life forms". He identifies Aloy as a "feminine posthuman" whose birth from a machine within a matriarchal society allows her to serve as a bridge between the biological and the technological. Fernández-Caro describes the machines as "postmodern animals" that resist traditional representations of nonhumans as mere tools, instead functioning as a speculative lens to rethink human-animal relations. Furthermore, he emphasises that the narrative uses empathy as the primary key for the player to understand and navigate this ecosystem, ultimately advocating for a mode of coexistence that recognises the value of nonhuman life over human dominance.<ref name="Posthumanism" />

However, while scholars like Fernández-Caro highlight the narrative's themes of [[posthumanism]] and [[ecofeminism]], others have argued that the franchise's gameplay mechanics actively contradict these messages. Andrei Nae and Eirini Bourontzi analyse the mechanical ecosystem as a site of "colonial realism", arguing that the gameplay reinforces colonial and capitalist forms of domination. They point to the "Focus"{{efn|The Focus is a device that can do things such as scan enemies, provide environmental information, and mark targets.<ref name="Focus" />}} and the in-game map as primary colonial tools; the Focus superimposes a "capitalist colonial gaze" that reduces the machines to their "exchange value", while the map facilitates territorial expansion. Because the [[Role-playing video game|RPG]] economy requires the player to systematically hunt and dismantle machines for loot to fund necessary upgrades, Nae and Bourontzi assert that the player is conditioned to act as a "colonial entrepreneur". Further analysing the machines' origins, they note that the Old World military robots use ancient Egyptian nomenclature, such as the "Scarab", "Khopesh", and "Horus", to define them as antagonists through a [[Eurocentrism|Eurocentric]] moral binary. They also evaluate the franchise against Victor Navarro-Remesal's criteria for a "green video game", concluding that it fails because the machines infinitely respawn and their destroyed [[chassis]] eventually vanish without lasting environmental consequence. This design, they argue, promotes a [[neoliberalism|neoliberal]] ideal of "infinite growth in an infinitely regenerating world", where the mechanical ecosystem is treated merely as a commodity for exploitation rather than a community requiring moral consideration.<ref name="ColonialRealism" />

Conversely, other critics have interpreted the human-machine relationship in a much more positive, symbiotic light. In an analysis published by ''First Person Scholar'', Ian Faith argued that the machines successfully create a "hybrid ecology" where the distinctions between organic and synthetic life, as well as [[natural selection]] and [[artificial selection]], become arbitrary. Rather than viewing the hunting of machines as pure [[Exploitation of labour|capitalist exploitation]], Faith wrote that the human tribes practice a healthy [[symbiosis]] with the mechanical ecosystem. By using every part of the machine's "carcass" for clothing, weaponry, and cultural items, the games depict a landscape where production and consumption are moderated with very little waste.<ref name="FirstPersonScholar" /> Lauren Woolbright analysed the mechanical ecosystem through the lens of [[Gaia hypothesis|Gaia theory]], noting that while the game superficially pits nature against technology, the machines ultimately demonstrate how deeply intertwined the two concepts can be when guided by an [[environmental ethics]] of care.<ref name="GaiaTheory" />

Beyond the debate over the franchise's in-game systems, critics have also observed contradictions regarding the franchise's ecological messaging within its real-world production. Scholars such as Alenda Y. Chang have highlighted the "materiality" of the machines, noting a dissonance between the game's environmentalist themes and the massive infrastructure of [[server farm]]s and hardware required to sustain the mechanical ecosystem's high-resolution textures.<ref name="PlayingNature" /> Furthermore, critics have analysed the creation of the machines as an example of the modern video game industry's reliance on globalised labour. While the overarching designs were conceptualised by Guerrilla in the Netherlands, the intricate [[3D modeling|3D modelling]] of the machines' hydraulic joints, armour plates, and internal components was extensively [[Outsourcing|outsourced]] to studios in other countries, such as [[Virtuos]] in China. ''[[The Outline (website)|The Outline]]''{{'s}} Michael Thomsen noted that the immense visual fidelity of the machines is a product of this distributed, outsourced labour pipeline that often obscures individual artistic contributions. Other critics have framed this process as the creation of "asset farms", noting that the machines' animalistic designs were actually the result of highly industrialised and standardised labour practices.<ref name="Outsourcing" />

=== Cultural impact and merchandise ===
The machines' intricate designs have inspired elaborate real-world creations and marketing installations. For [[E3 2016]] to promote ''Zero Dawn'', [[Sony Interactive Entertainment|Sony]] collaborated with special effects company Spectral Motion to construct a 13-foot-long, cable-driven [[animatronic]] Watcher suit that was actively piloted by an operator.<ref name="E32016Watcher" /><ref name="E3WatcherCreation" /> To promote the global launch of ''Forbidden West'' in 2022, PlayStation commissioned massive, life-sized Clawstrider statues and placed them as temporary public installations in cities across five continents, including [[Dubai]], [[London]], [[New York City]], [[Seoul]], and [[Sydney]].<ref name="Clawstriders" />

The machines' narrative was expanded in an official ''Zero Dawn'' comic book series published by [[Titan Comics]], which featured a new breed of killer machines.<ref name="ComicAnnounced" /> In 2020, Steamforged Games released ''Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game'', a semi-cooperative miniatures [[tabletop game]].<ref name="TabletopGame" /> It was subsequently supported by multiple expansion sets adding miniatures of various machines including the Thunderjaw, Stormbird, and Fireclaw.<ref name="TabletopAnnounced" /><ref name="TabletopExpansions" /> The machines have also made multiple cameo appearances in other major video games. Machine-themed armour was featured in a crossover event for ''[[Monster Hunter: World]]'' (2018), and holographic versions of the Watcher and Tallneck appeared in ''[[Death Stranding]]'' (2019).<ref name="WatcherPalico" /><ref name="DeathStrandingHolos" /> The Thunderjaw appears in ''[[Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart]]'' (2021) via a weapon that can summon it from another dimension, while other machines make an appearance in the ''Horizon''-themed level of ''[[Astro Bot]]'' (2024).<ref name="ThunderjawRiftApart" /><ref name="AstroBotMachines" />

Following the release of ''Zero Dawn'' in 2017, the franchise's machines expanded into various merchandise items and collectibles. To coincide with the game's launch, a special "''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Thunderjaw Collection " was produced, featuring a highly detailed statue of the Thunderjaw.<ref name="ThunderjawEdition" /> That same year, two Watcher [[Funko Pop]] variants were released and in 2020, a Thunderjaw Pop was released.<ref name="WatcherPops" /><ref name="ThunderjawPop" /> Also in 2020, a 26-inch premium statue of the Stalker was announced by Prime 1 Studio.<ref name="StalkerStatue" /> Merchandising expanded further alongside the launch of ''Forbidden West'' in 2022. The game's premium Collector's and Regalla editions included statues of the Tremortusk.<ref name="TremortuskStatues" /> That same year, The Lego Group released a 1,222-piece set of the Tallneck.<ref name="LegoTallneck" /> This was followed by high-end collectibles, including a 15-inch Moderoid model kit of the Thunderjaw by [[Good Smile Company]] in 2023.<ref name="ThunderjawModeroid" /> In 2025, a Lego set based on ''Lego Horizon Adventures'' was released, featuring buildable versions of the Shell-Walker and Sawtooth.<ref name="LHALego" /> Later that year, [[Wizards of the Coast]] announced a ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' Secret Lair Drop featuring alternate-art reskins of cards depicting the Thunderjaw, Horus, Tallneck, and Plowhorn.<ref name="MTGCards" /><ref name="MTGBonusCard" />

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="ChariotLine">{{Cite web |last=C |first=Anna |date=18 January 2022 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn'': The Story of Ted Faro |url=https://gamerant.com/horizon-zero-dawn-ted-faro-story-lore-history-explained/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118164641/https://gamerant.com/horizon-zero-dawn-ted-faro-story-lore-history-explained/ |archive-date=18 January 2022 |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=[[Game Rant]] |publisher=[[Valnet]]}}</ref>

<ref name="FZDrones">{{Cite web |last=Tailby |first=Stephen |date=20 March 2024 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'' Machines: All Enemies, Strengths, Weaknesses, and Overrides |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/guides/horizon-forbidden-west-machines-all-enemies-strengths-weaknesses-and-overrides |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260310220608/https://www.pushsquare.com/guides/horizon-forbidden-west-machines-all-enemies-strengths-weaknesses-and-overrides |archive-date=10 March 2026 |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=[[Push Square]] |publisher=Hookshot Media}}</ref>

<!-- ORIGINS AND VISUAL DESIGN -->

<ref name="Artbook">{{Cite book |last=Davies |first=Paul |title=The Art of Horizon Zero Dawn |date=28 February 2017 |publisher=[[Titan Books]] |isbn=978-1-78565-363-6}}</ref>

<ref name="GBHZDMachines">{{Cite web |last=Parijat |first=Shubhankar |date=29 January 2022 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Machine Report – Thunderjaw, Tallneck, Deathbringer |url=https://gamingbolt.com/horizon-zero-dawn-machine-report-thunderjaw-tallneck-deathbringer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129164920/https://gamingbolt.com/horizon-zero-dawn-machine-report-thunderjaw-tallneck-deathbringer |archive-date=29 January 2022 |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=GamingBolt}}</ref>

<ref name="NoClip">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9tLcD1r-6w |title=The Making of Horizon Zero Dawn |date=19 December 2017 |publisher=[[Noclip]] |access-date=11 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228140924/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9tLcD1r-6w |archive-date=28 December 2017 |url-status=live |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

<ref name="GIOrigins">{{Cite magazine |last=Kato |first=Matthew |date=26 June 2015 |title=The Origins & World of ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/06/26/the-origins-and-world-of-horizon-zero-dawn.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710053337/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/06/26/the-origins-and-world-of-horizon-zero-dawn.aspx |archive-date=10 July 2015 |access-date=11 March 2026 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |issn=1067-6392}}</ref>

<ref name="MachineConcept">{{Cite web |last=McAllister |first=Gillen |date=24 February 2017 |title=The Making of ''Horizon Zero Dawn''{{'s}} Machines |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2017/02/24/the-making-of-horizon-zero-dawns-machines/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810063957/https://blog.playstation.com/2017/02/24/the-making-of-horizon-zero-dawns-machines/ |archive-date=10 August 2020 |access-date=11 March 2026 |website=[[PlayStation Blog]] |publisher=[[Sony Interactive Entertainment]]}}</ref>

<ref name="HFWReBuilding">{{Cite web |last=de Vries |first=Bo |date=8 November 2021 |title=(Re)building the Awe-Inspiring Machines of ''Horizon Forbidden West'' |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2021/11/08/rebuilding-the-awe-inspiring-machines-of-horizon-forbidden-west/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404083120/https://blog.playstation.com/2021/11/08/rebuilding-the-awe-inspiring-machines-of-horizon-forbidden-west/ |archive-date=4 April 2024 |access-date=11 March 2026 |website=[[PlayStation Blog]] |publisher=[[Sony Interactive Entertainment]]}}</ref>

<ref name="Function">{{Cite web |last=de Vries |first=Bo |date=6 December 2021 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'': Outsmart Your Enemies |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2021/12/06/horizon-forbidden-west-outsmart-your-enemies/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206140257/https://blog.playstation.com/2021/12/06/horizon-forbidden-west-outsmart-your-enemies/ |archive-date=6 December 2021 |access-date=11 March 2026 |website=[[PlayStation Blog]] |publisher=[[Sony Interactive Entertainment]]}}</ref>

<ref name="Waterwing">{{Cite web |last=Parijat |first=Shubhankar |date=17 April 2023 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores'' – 10 Exciting Things We Can't Wait to Do |url=https://gamingbolt.com/horizon-forbidden-west-burning-shores-10-exciting-things-we-cant-wait-to-do |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417132306/https://gamingbolt.com/horizon-forbidden-west-burning-shores-10-exciting-things-we-cant-wait-to-do |archive-date=17 April 2023 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=GamingBolt}}</ref>

<ref name="HorusBoss">{{Cite web |last=van der Zanden |first=Anne |date=13 May 2024 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores'' Expansion Turns One – Building the Massive Horus Battle |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2024/05/13/horizon-forbidden-west-burning-shores-expansion-turns-one-building-the-massive-horus-battle/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513173735/https://blog.playstation.com/2024/05/13/horizon-forbidden-west-burning-shores-expansion-turns-one-building-the-massive-horus-battle/ |archive-date=13 May 2024 |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=[[PlayStation Blog]] |publisher=[[Sony Interactive Entertainment]]}}</ref>

<!-- ANATOMY AND TECHNICAL PROTOTYPING -->

<ref name="LivingCreatures">{{Cite web |last=<!--Game Developer Staff--> |date=20 April 2017 |title=Making ''Horizon Zero Dawn''{{'s}} Machines Feel Like Living Creatures |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/making-i-horizon-zero-dawn-i-s-machines-feel-like-living-creatures |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827202459/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/making-i-horizon-zero-dawn-i-s-machines-feel-like-living-creatures |archive-date=27 August 2021 |access-date=11 March 2026 |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |publisher=[[Informa TechTarget]]}}</ref>

<ref name="Outsourcing">{{Cite web |last=Thomsen |first=Michael |date=6 February 2018 |title=The Universe Has Been Outsourced |url=https://theoutline.com/post/3087/outsourcing-blockbuster-video-games-made-in-china-horizon-zero-dawn |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206213726/https://theoutline.com/post/3087/outsourcing-blockbuster-video-games-made-in-china-horizon-zero-dawn |archive-date=6 February 2018 |access-date=11 March 2026 |website=[[The Outline (website)|The Outline]] |publisher=Independent Media}}</ref>

<ref name="2YearAnniversary">{{Cite web |last=Hulst |first=Hermen |date=28 February 2019 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Celebrates Second Anniversary, 10 Million Copies Sold Worldwide |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2019/02/28/horizon-zero-dawn-celebrates-second-anniversary-10-million-copies-sold-worldwide/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531185600/https://blog.playstation.com/2019/02/28/horizon-zero-dawn-celebrates-second-anniversary-10-million-copies-sold-worldwide/ |archive-date=31 May 2020 |access-date=11 March 2026 |website=[[PlayStation Blog]] |publisher=[[Sony Interactive Entertainment]]}}</ref>

<ref name="IGNLegoAdventures">{{Cite web |last=Valentine |first=Rebekah |date=12 June 2024 |title=Everything in ''Lego Horizon Adventures'' Could Be Built Out of Physical Lego Sets |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/everything-in-lego-horizon-adventures-could-be-built-out-of-physical-lego-sets |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710122355/https://www.ign.com/articles/everything-in-lego-horizon-adventures-could-be-built-out-of-physical-lego-sets |archive-date=10 July 2024 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<1-- ANIMATION AND AUDIO DESIGN -->

<ref name="GRAnimals">{{Cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Lucas |date=19 March 2018 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn''{{'s}} Mechanical Animals Were Inspired by Angry Chickens and Emus Fighting Kangaroos |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/horizon-zero-dawns-mechanical-animals-were-inspired-by-angry-chickens-and-emus-fighting-kangaroos/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321193429/https://www.gamesradar.com/horizon-zero-dawns-mechanical-animals-were-inspired-by-angry-chickens-and-emus-fighting-kangaroos/ |archive-date=21 March 2018 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[GamesRadar+]] |publisher=[[Future plc]]}}</ref>

<ref name="GIMachines">{{Cite magazine |last=Wallace |first=Kimberley |date=26 September 2016 |title=Creating the Extraordinary Machines of ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' |url=https://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/09/26/creating-the-extraordinary-machines-of-horizon-zero-dawn.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160929231448/https://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/09/26/creating-the-extraordinary-machines-of-horizon-zero-dawn.aspx |archive-date=29 September 2016 |access-date=11 March 2026 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |issn=1067-6392}}</ref>

<ref name="NaturalFiction">{{Cite web |last=Massongill |first=Justin |date=31 August 2017 |title=Completing the Experience: 3D Audio and the Sound of ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2017/08/31/completing-the-experience-3d-audio-and-the-sound-of-horizon-zero-dawn/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531201518/https://blog.playstation.com/2017/08/31/completing-the-experience-3d-audio-and-the-sound-of-horizon-zero-dawn/ |archive-date=31 May 2020 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[PlayStation Blog]] |publisher=[[Sony Interactive Entertainment]]}}</ref>

<ref name="GuerillaAudioInterview">{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Sam |date=1 March 2018 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Interview with Guerilla Games' Audio Team |url=https://www.thesoundarchitect.co.uk/horizon-zero-dawn-interview-guerilla-games-audio-team/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305064536/https://www.thesoundarchitect.co.uk/horizon-zero-dawn-interview-guerilla-games-audio-team/ |archive-date=5 March 2018 |access-date=15 March 2026 |website=The Sound Architect}}</ref>

<!-- GAMEPLAY INTEGRATION AND AI ECOSYSTEM -->

<ref name="BehindTheAIP1">{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Tommy |date=30 January 2019 |title=Behind the AI of ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' (Part 1) |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/behind-the-ai-of-horizon-zero-dawn-part-1- |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220112143543/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/behind-the-ai-of-horizon-zero-dawn-part-1- |archive-date=12 January 2022 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |publisher=[[Informa TechTarget]]}}</ref>

<ref name="BehindTheAIP2">{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Tommy |date=6 February 2019 |title=Behind the AI of ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' (Part 2) |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/behind-the-ai-of-horizon-zero-dawn-part-2- |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831010745/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/behind-the-ai-of-horizon-zero-dawn-part-2- |archive-date=31 August 2021 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |publisher=[[Informa TechTarget]]}}</ref>

<ref name="AloySpear">{{Cite web |last=Hunt Szpytek |first=Peter |date=3 January 2022 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn'': How to Override Machines |url=https://gamerant.com/horizon-zero-dawn-override-machines-how/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103164735/https://gamerant.com/horizon-zero-dawn-override-machines-how/ |archive-date=3 January 2022 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Game Rant]] |publisher=[[Valnet]]}}</ref>

<ref name="HZDOverrides">{{Cite web |last=Tapsell |first=Chris |date=3 February 2021 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Override Cauldron Locations – How to Ride Machines with Sigma, Rho, Xi, and Zeta Mounts |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/horizon-zero-dawn-override-cauldrons-locations-mounts-sigma-rho-xi-and-zeta-unlocks-locations-and-maps-4932 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251122043337/https://www.eurogamer.net/horizon-zero-dawn-override-cauldrons-locations-mounts-sigma-rho-xi-and-zeta-unlocks-locations-and-maps-4932 |archive-date=22 November 2025 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]]}}</ref>

<ref name="ControlMachines">{{Cite web |last=Imms |first=Jason |date=8 March 2017 |title=Why ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Doesn't Let You Control the Machines |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-horizon-zero-dawn-doesnt-let-you-control-the-m/1100-6448560/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309013601/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-horizon-zero-dawn-doesnt-let-you-control-the-m/1100-6448560/ |archive-date=9 March 2017 |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]}}</ref>

<ref name="OverrideSubroutines">{{Cite web |last=<!-- Multiple authors --> |date=9 March 2022 |title=Tips and Tricks |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/horizon-2-forbidden-west/Tips_and_Tricks |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260214222034/https://www.ign.com/wikis/horizon-2-forbidden-west/Tips_and_Tricks |archive-date=14 February 2026 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="Evolving">{{Cite web |last=Francis |first=Bryant |date=25 April 2022 |title=Evolving the Machine Creatures of ''Horizon Forbidden West'' |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/evolving-the-machine-creatures-of-horizon-forbidden-west |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419015128/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/evolving-the-machine-creatures-of-horizon-forbidden-west |archive-date=19 April 2024 |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |publisher=[[Informa TechTarget]]}}</ref>

<ref name="GDCHFW">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr17S0I_h78 |title=Building Machines for a Better Future in 'Horizon' |date=27 December 2022 |publisher=[[Game Developers Conference]] |access-date=12 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227140945/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr17S0I_h78 |archive-date=27 December 2022 |url-status=live |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

<ref name="UEHCM">{{Cite interview |last=van Beek |first=Jan-Bart |title=How ''Horizon Call of the Mountain'' Leverages PS VR2 to Deliver Next-Gen Virtual Reality |url=https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/developer-interviews/how-horizon-call-of-the-mountain-leverages-ps-vr2-to-deliver-next-gen-virtual-reality |access-date=13 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224195345/https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/developer-interviews/how-horizon-call-of-the-mountain-leverages-ps-vr2-to-deliver-next-gen-virtual-reality |archive-date=24 February 2023 |url-status=live |work=[[Unreal Engine]] |date=24 February 2023 |interviewer-first=Jimmy |interviewer-last=Thang}}</ref>

<ref name="RoadToVR">{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Ben |date=30 June 2023 |title=''Horizon Call of the Mountain'' Behind-the-Scenes – Insights & Artwork from Guerrilla & Firesprite |url=https://www.roadtovr.com/horizon-call-of-the-mountain-behind-the-scenes-insights-artwork-guerrilla-firesprite/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630064502/https://www.roadtovr.com/horizon-call-of-the-mountain-behind-the-scenes-insights-artwork-guerrilla-firesprite/ |archive-date=30 June 2023 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[Road to VR]]}}</ref>

<ref name="HSFMachineCombat">{{Cite web |last=Purslow |first=Matt |date=13 November 2025 |title=''Horizon Steel Frontiers'': How the New Mobile MMORPG Changes Machine Combat |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-steel-frontiers-mmo-trailer-breakdown |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260102225303/https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-steel-frontiers-mmo-trailer-breakdown |archive-date=2 January 2026 |access-date=16 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="HHGStyle">{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=5 February 2026 |title=Sony Announces ''Horizon Hunters Gathering'', Guerrilla's New Co-Op Action Game for PS5 and PC with a Completely Different Art Style |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/sony-announces-horizon-hunters-gathering-guerrillas-new-co-op-action-game-for-ps5-and-pc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260209142217/https://www.ign.com/articles/sony-announces-horizon-hunters-gathering-guerrillas-new-co-op-action-game-for-ps5-and-pc |archive-date=9 February 2026 |access-date=16 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<!-- GAMEPLAY AND ENCOUNTERS -->

<ref name="GIHZDReview">{{Cite magazine |last=Marchiafava |first=Jeff |date=20 February 2017 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Review |url=https://gameinformer.com/games/horizon_zero_dawn/b/playstation4/archive/2017/02/19/horizon-zero-dawn-review-game-informer.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807174706/https://gameinformer.com/games/horizon_zero_dawn/b/playstation4/archive/2017/02/19/horizon-zero-dawn-review-game-informer.aspx |archive-date=7 August 2019 |access-date=12 March 2026 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |issn=1067-6392}}</ref>

<ref name="IGNHZDReview">{{Cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Lucy |date=20 February 2017 |title=''Horizon: Zero Dawn'' Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/02/20/horizon-zero-dawn-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220214624/https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/02/20/horizon-zero-dawn-review |archive-date=20 February 2017 |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="InverseHZD">{{Cite magazine |last=Bashore |first=Nicholas |date=9 March 2017 |title=The Best Machines in ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/28877-best-machines-in-horizon-zero-dawn-hunting-guide |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722151507/https://www.inverse.com/article/28877-best-machines-in-horizon-zero-dawn-hunting-guide |archive-date=22 July 2019 |access-date=12 March 2026 |magazine=[[Inverse (website)|Inverse]] |publisher=[[Bustle Digital Group]]}}</ref>

<ref name="FTAP">{{Cite magazine |last=Marchiafava |first=Jeff |date=24 February 2017 |title=Funny To A Point – ''Horizon Zero Dawn''? More Like Horizon Zero Daaaang! |url=https://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/02/24/funny-to-a-point-horizon-zero-dawn-more-like-horizon-zero-daaaang.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170225091232/https://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/02/24/funny-to-a-point-horizon-zero-dawn-more-like-horizon-zero-daaaang.aspx |archive-date=25 February 2017 |access-date=12 March 2026 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |issn=1067-6392}}</ref>

<ref name="IGNHFWMachines">{{Cite web |last=Yang |first=George |date=8 November 2021 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West''{{'s}} Robots Use Ideas That Weren't Possible in the First Game |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-forbidden-west-robots |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122205408/https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-forbidden-west-robots |archive-date=22 November 2021 |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="IGNHFWReview">{{Cite web |last=Cardy |first=Simon |date=18 February 2022 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'' Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-forbidden-west-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214090845/https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-forbidden-west-review |archive-date=14 February 2022 |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="EurogamerHFWReview">{{Cite web |last=Hetfield |first=Malindy |date=14 February 2022 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'' Review – A Gorgeous Sequel That Continues to Borrow More Than It Adds |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/horizon-forbidden-west-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810230318/https://www.eurogamer.net/horizon-forbidden-west-review |archive-date=10 August 2023 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]]}}</ref>

<ref name="KotakuHFWReview">{{Cite web |last=Notis |first=Ari |date=14 February 2022 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'': The Kotaku Review |url=https://kotaku.com/horizon-forbidden-west-the-kotaku-review-1848524470 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214080522/https://kotaku.com/horizon-forbidden-west-the-kotaku-review-1848524470 |archive-date=14 February 2022 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Kotaku]] |publisher=[[G/O Media]]}}</ref>

<ref name="GIAgressive">{{Cite magazine |last=Stewart |first=Marcus |date=18 February 2022 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'' Guide – Staple Skills You Should Unlock First |url=https://gameinformer.com/2022/02/18/horizon-forbidden-west-guide-staple-skills-you-should-unlock-first |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220218131545/https://gameinformer.com/2022/02/18/horizon-forbidden-west-guide-staple-skills-you-should-unlock-first |archive-date=18 February 2022 |access-date=14 March 2026 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |issn=1067-6392}}</ref>

<ref name="GSpotHZDReview">{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Peter |date=20 February 2017 |title=''Horizon: Zero Dawn'' Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/horizon-zero-dawn-review/1900-6416620/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222163926/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/horizon-zero-dawn-review/1900-6416620/ |archive-date=22 February 2017 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]}}</ref>

<ref name="RPGFanHFWCompleteReview">{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Jerry |date=17 May 2024 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition'' |url=https://www.rpgfan.com/review/horizon-forbidden-west-complete-edition/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524105326/https://www.rpgfan.com/review/horizon-forbidden-west-complete-edition/ |archive-date=24 May 2024 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=RPGFan |publisher=Emerald Shield Media LLC}}</ref>

<ref name="GRHFWReview">{{Cite Web |last=Loveridge |first=Sam |date=14 February 2022 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'' Review: "Nothing Short of Phenomenal" |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/horizon-forbidden-west-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214183002/https://www.gamesradar.com/horizon-forbidden-west-review/ |archive-date=14 February 2022 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[GamesRadar+]] |publisher=[[Future plc]]}}</ref>

<ref name="IGNHCMReview">{{Cite web |last=Cardy |first=Simon |date=16 February 2023 |title=''Horizon Call of the Mountain'' Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-call-of-the-mountain-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219003855/https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-call-of-the-mountain-review |archive-date=19 February 2023 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="EurogamerHCMPreview">{{Cite web |last=Higton |first=Ian |date=14 September 2022 |title=PlayStation VR2 Is About to Breathe New Life Into Virtual Reality Gaming |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/playstation-vr2-is-about-to-breathe-new-life-into-virtual-reality-gaming |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914122941/https://www.eurogamer.net/playstation-vr2-is-about-to-breathe-new-life-into-virtual-reality-gaming |archive-date=14 September 2022 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]]}}</ref>

<ref name="IGNLegoReview">{{Cite web |last=Griffin |first=Jada |date=13 November 2024 |title=''Lego Horizon Adventures'' Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/lego-horizon-adventures-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241117214658/https://www.ign.com/articles/lego-horizon-adventures-review |archive-date=17 November 2024 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="EurogamerLegoReview">{{Cite web |last=Castle |first=Katharine |date=13 November 2024 |title=''Lego Horizon Adventures'' Review – A Hyperactive Minifig Tour of ''Zero Dawn'' That Completely Misses the Point |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/lego-horizon-adventures-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113110149/https://www.eurogamer.net/lego-horizon-adventures-review |archive-date=13 November 2024 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]]}}</ref>

<ref name="NWRLegoRev">{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Zachary |date=13 November 2024 |title=''Lego Horizon Adventures'' (Switch) Review |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/69115/lego-horizon-adventures-switch-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113110814/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/69115/lego-horizon-adventures-switch-review |archive-date=13 November 2024 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=Nintendo World Report |publisher=NINWR, LLC}}</ref>

<!-- VISUALS AND AUDIO -->

<ref name="IGNFWReview">{{Cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Lucy |date=6 November 2017 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds'' Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/06/horizon-zero-dawn-the-frozen-wilds-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106190648/https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/06/horizon-zero-dawn-the-frozen-wilds-review |archive-date=6 November 2017 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="IGNHFWDetails">{{Cite web |last=<!-- IGN Staff --> |date=4 March 2022 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'': 26 Amazing Little Details |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-forbidden-west-ps4-ps5-amazing-details |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309000130/https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-forbidden-west-ps4-ps5-amazing-details |archive-date=9 March 2022 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="GIHFWMachines">{{Cite magazine |last=Stewart |first=Marcus |date=17 February 2022 |title=The New Machines of ''Horizon Forbidden West'' (That We Know so Far) |url=https://gameinformer.com/2022/02/17/the-new-machines-of-horizon-forbidden-west-that-we-know-so-far |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217234345/https://gameinformer.com/2022/02/17/the-new-machines-of-horizon-forbidden-west-that-we-know-so-far |archive-date=17 February 2022 |access-date=13 March 2026 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |issn=1067-6392}}</ref>

<ref name="DenOfGeekHZDPCRev">{{Cite web |last=Boo |first=Bernard |date=7 August 2020 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn'' PC Review: A Great Way to Revisit Aloy's Journey |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/horizon-zero-dawn-pc-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925030702/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/horizon-zero-dawn-pc-review/ |archive-date=25 September 2020 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[Den of Geek]] |publisher=DoG Tech LLC}}</ref>

<ref name="RPGFanHFWSoundtrack">{{Cite web |last=Argyros |first=Caitlin |date=12 August 2022 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'' Official Soundtrack |url=https://www.rpgfan.com/music-review/horizon-forbidden-west-official-soundtrack/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812213604/https://www.rpgfan.com/music-review/horizon-forbidden-west-official-soundtrack/ |archive-date=12 August 2022 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=RPGFan |publisher=Emerald Shield Media LLC}}</ref>

<ref name="GIHFWReview">{{Cite magazine |last=Wallace |first=Kimberly |date=14 February 2022 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'' Review: Leaping to Greater Heights |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/review/horizon-forbidden-west/leaping-to-greater-heights |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208053105/https://www.gameinformer.com/review/horizon-forbidden-west/leaping-to-greater-heights |archive-date=8 December 2022 |access-date=13 March 2026 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |issn=1067-6392}}</ref>

<ref name="TRHZDRemasterReview">{{Cite web |last=Coombes |first=Lloyd |date=30 October 2024 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered'' Review: Aloy's First Adventure Gets a Massive Tune-Up |url=https://www.techradar.com/gaming/horizon-zero-dawn-remastered-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241030115719/https://www.techradar.com/gaming/horizon-zero-dawn-remastered-review |archive-date=30 October 2024 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=[[TechRadar]] |publisher=[[Future plc]]}}</ref>

<!-- THEMATIC AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS -->

<ref name="Posthumanism">{{Cite journal |last=Fernández-Caro |first=Jesús |date=November 2019 |title=Post-Apocalyptic Nonhuman Characters in ''Horizon: Zero Dawn'': Animal Machines, Posthumans, and AI-Based Deities |url=https://publish.lib.umd.edu/index.php/scifi/article/view/483 |url-status=live |journal=Journal of Science Fiction |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=43–56 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250626135901/https://publish.lib.umd.edu/index.php/scifi/article/view/483 |archive-date=26 June 2025 |access-date=12 March 2026}}</ref>

<ref name="Focus">{{Cite web |last=Shuman |first=Sid |date=30 January 2017 |title=Hands On: ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2017/01/30/hands-on-horizon-zero-dawn/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819070517/https://blog.playstation.com/2017/01/30/hands-on-horizon-zero-dawn/ |archive-date=19 August 2020 |access-date=12 March 2026 |website=[[PlayStation Blog]] |publisher=[[Sony Interactive Entertainment]]}}</ref>

<ref name="ColonialRealism">{{Cite book |last1=Nae |first1=Andrei |url=https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=4zeUEQAAQBAJ |title=Video Games Between Postcolonialism and Postcommunism |last2=Bourontzi |first2=Eirini |date=May 2025 |publisher=Lexington Books |isbn=978-3-11-162251-4 |pages=103-122 |chapter=Aloy, the Colonial Entrepreneur: Colonial Realism in ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' and ''Horizon Forbidden West'' |doi=10.1515/9783111622750-005 |access-date=12 March 2026}}</ref>

<ref name="FirstPersonScholar">{{Cite web |last=Faith |first=Ian |date=23 May 2018 |title=Technology Worship, Media Archaeology, and Zombie Media in ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' |url=https://www.firstpersonscholar.com/technology-worship-media-archaeology-and-zombie-media-in-horizon-zero-dawn/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529152418/https://www.firstpersonscholar.com/technology-worship-media-archaeology-and-zombie-media-in-horizon-zero-dawn/ |archive-date=29 May 2018 |access-date=15 March 2026 |website=First Person Scholar |publisher=[[University of Waterloo]]}}</ref>

<ref name="GaiaTheory">{{Cite journal |last=Woolbright |first=Lauren |date=24 October 2018 |title=Ecofeminism and Gaia Theory in ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' |url=http://tracejournal.net/trace-issues/issue2/02-Woolbright.html |url-status=live |journal=Trace: A Journal of Writing, Media, and Ecology |publisher=[[University of Florida]] |volume=2 |issue=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709151932/http://tracejournal.net/trace-issues/issue2/02-Woolbright.html |archive-date=9 July 2022 |access-date=15 March 2026}}</ref>

<ref name="PlayingNature">{{Cite book |last=Chang |first=Alenda Y. |title=Playing Nature: Ecology in Video Games |date=2019 |publisher=University of Minnesota Press |isbn=978-1-5179-0631-3}}</ref>

<!-- CULTURAL IMPACT AND MERCHANDISE -->

<ref name="E32016Watcher">{{Cite web |last=Grubb |first=Jeff |date=14 June 2016 |title=This ''Horizon: Zero Dawn'' Cosplay Is Wreaking Havoc at E3 |url=https://venturebeat.com/2016/06/14/this-horizon-zero-dawn-cosplay-is-wreaking-havoc-at-e3/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616061847/https://venturebeat.com/2016/06/14/this-horizon-zero-dawn-cosplay-is-wreaking-havoc-at-e3/ |archive-date=16 June 2016 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[VentureBeat]]}}</ref>

<ref name="E3WatcherCreation">{{Cite magazine |last=Kraft |first=Caleb |date=22 June 2017 |title=Building a 13-Foot Long Robot Dinosaur "Watcher" Costume from ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' |url=https://makezine.com/article/craft/constructing-13-foot-long-robot-dinosaur-watcher-costume-horizon-zero-dawn/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250302070928/https://makezine.com/article/craft/constructing-13-foot-long-robot-dinosaur-watcher-costume-horizon-zero-dawn/ |archive-date=2 March 2025 |access-date=14 March 2026 |magazine=[[Make (magazine)|Make]] |publisher=Make: Community, LLC. |issn=1556-2336}}</ref>

<ref name="Clawstriders">{{Cite magazine |last=<!-- Staff Writers --> |date=22 February 2022 |title=Sydney Included in Global Launch of Playstation's ''Horizon Forbidden West'' |url=https://www.bandt.com.au/sydney-included-in-global-launch-of-playstations-horizon-forbidden-west/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222065525/https://www.bandt.com.au/sydney-included-in-global-launch-of-playstations-horizon-forbidden-west/ |archive-date=22 February 2022 |access-date=14 March 2026 |magazine=B&T |publisher=The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd |issn=1325-9210}}</ref>

<ref name="ComicAnnounced">{{Cite magazine |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=26 March 2020 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Comic to Launch in July |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/horizon-zero-dawn-comic-adaptation-works-1286545/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701171920/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/horizon-zero-dawn-comic-adaptation-works-1286545/ |archive-date=1 July 2022 |access-date=14 March 2026 |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |publisher=[[Eldridge Industries]] |issn=0018-3660}}</ref>

<ref name="TabletopGame">{{Cite web |last=Meehan |first=Alex |date=16 September 2020 |title=7 Board Games to Check Out at PAX Online x EGX Digital |url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/events/pax-x-egx/feature/board-games-pax-online-egx-digital |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920235545/https://www.dicebreaker.com/events/pax-x-egx/feature/board-games-pax-online-egx-digital |archive-date=20 September 2020 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Dicebreaker]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]]}}</ref>

<ref name="TabletopAnnounced">{{Cite web |last=Marks |first=Tom |date=3 August 2018 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn Board Game'' Announced – Gen Con 2018 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/08/02/horizon-zero-dawn-board-game-announced-will-be-canon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803021027/https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/08/02/horizon-zero-dawn-board-game-announced-will-be-canon |archive-date=3 August 2018 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="TabletopExpansions">{{Cite web |last=Bashir |first=Dale |date=5 September 2023 |title=Rage Against the Machines in ''Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game'' |url=https://sea.ign.com/amazon-deals/205306/news/rage-against-the-machines-in-horizon-zero-dawn-the-board-game |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230905141242/https://sea.ign.com/amazon-deals/205306/news/rage-against-the-machines-in-horizon-zero-dawn-the-board-game |archive-date=5 September 2023 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[IGN|IGN Southeast Asia]] |publisher=[[Media Prima|Media Prima Digital Sdn Bhd]]}}</ref>

<ref name="WatcherPalico">{{Cite web |last=Billcliffe |first=James |date=19 December 2018 |title=''Monster Hunter World'' ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Event: How to Get the Aloy Armor, Bow and Watcher Gear for Your Palico |url=https://www.vg247.com/monster-hunter-world-horizon-zero-dawn-event-how-to-get-the-aloy-armor-bow-watcher-palico |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916224709/https://www.vg247.com/monster-hunter-world-horizon-zero-dawn-event-how-to-get-the-aloy-armor-bow-watcher-palico |archive-date=16 September 2021 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[VG247]] |publisher=Videogaming247 Ltd}}</ref>

<ref name="DeathStrandingHolos">{{Cite web |last=Elsaesser |first=Katie |date=11 November 2019 |title=''Death Stranding'': How to Unlock ''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Holograms |url=https://gamerant.com/death-stranding-how-to-unlock-horizon-zero-dawn-holograms/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211083057/https://gamerant.com/death-stranding-how-to-unlock-horizon-zero-dawn-holograms/ |archive-date=11 December 2019 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Game Rant]] |publisher=[[Valnet]]}}</ref>

<ref name="ThunderjawRiftApart">{{Cite web |last=Gilliam |first=Ryan |date=10 June 2021 |title=''Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart''{{'s}} Coolest Gun Weaponizes PlayStation Cameos |url=https://www.polygon.com/22526248/ratchet-clank-rift-apart-ps5-ryno-8-playstation-easter-egg-cameo-horizon-jak-sly-uncharted/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610162901/https://www.polygon.com/22526248/ratchet-clank-rift-apart-ps5-ryno-8-playstation-easter-egg-cameo-horizon-jak-sly-uncharted/ |archive-date=10 June 2021 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]]}}</ref>

<ref name="AstroBotMachines">{{Cite web |last=Kennedy |first=James |date=7 September 2024 |title=Complete Machine Learning Guide for ''Astro Bot'' |url=https://www.thegamer.com/astro-bot-machine-learning-collectible-location-guide/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910184310/https://www.thegamer.com/astro-bot-machine-learning-collectible-location-guide/ |archive-date=10 September 2024 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[TheGamer]] |publisher=[[Valnet]]}}</ref>

<ref name="ThunderjawEdition">{{Cite web |last=G. Macy |first=Seth |date=6 December 2017 |title=The Best PlayStation Gifts for 2017 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/09/the-best-playstation-gifts-for-2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250823205256/https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/09/the-best-playstation-gifts-for-2017 |archive-date=23 August 2025 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="WatcherPops">{{Cite web |last=Barker |first=Sammy |date=11 August 2017 |title=Funko Announces ''Horizon: Zero Dawn'' Pop! Figurines |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2017/08/funko_announces_horizon_zero_dawn_pop_figurines |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820004611/https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2017/08/funko_announces_horizon_zero_dawn_pop_figurines |archive-date=20 August 2017 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Push Square]] |publisher=Hookshot Media}}</ref>

<ref name="ThunderjawPop">{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Tyler |date=30 September 2020 |title=Funko Announces Pops for ''God of War'', ''Horizon Zero Dawn'', and More |url=https://bleedingcool.com/collectibles/funko-playstation-pop-wave-2/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006012020/https://bleedingcool.com/collectibles/funko-playstation-pop-wave-2/ |archive-date=6 October 2020 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Bleeding Cool]] |publisher=[[Avatar Press]]}}</ref>

<ref name="StalkerStatue">{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Tyler |date=30 June 2020 |title=''Horizon Zero Dawn'' Stalker Stands Its Ground with Prime 1 Studio |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/horizon-zero-dawn-prime-1-studio-stalker/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630210928/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/horizon-zero-dawn-prime-1-studio-stalker/ |archive-date=30 June 2020 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Bleeding Cool]] |publisher=[[Avatar Press]]}}</ref>

<ref name="TremortuskStatues">{{Cite web |last=Reed |first=Chris |date=16 February 2022 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'': Here's What Comes in Each Edition |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-forbidden-west-release-date-collectors-edition-regalla |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225154321/https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-forbidden-west-release-date-collectors-edition-regalla |archive-date=25 February 2022 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="LegoTallneck">{{Cite web |last=Dornbush |first=Jonathon |date=24 August 2022 |title=Lego's ''Horizon'' Tallneck Set Is Impressively Tall and Fun to Build |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-lego-tallneck-set-build |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226225358/https://www.ign.com/articles/horizon-lego-tallneck-set-build |archive-date=26 December 2022 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="ThunderjawModeroid">{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Tyler |date=16 May 2023 |title=''Horizon Forbidden West'' Thunderjaw Comes to Life with Good Smile |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/horizon-zero-dawn-prime-1-studio-stalker/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://bleedingcool.com/collectibles/horizon-forbidden-west-thunderjaw-comes-to-life-with-good-smile/ |archive-date=16 May 2023 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Bleeding Cool]] |publisher=[[Avatar Press]]}}</ref>

<ref name="LHALego">{{Cite web |last=Reed |first=Chris |date=18 November 2024 |title=''Lego Horizon Adventures'' New Lego Set Is Up for Preorder |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/where-to-buy-lego-horizon-adventures-aloy-varl-lego-set |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241118195113/https://www.ign.com/articles/where-to-buy-lego-horizon-adventures-aloy-varl-lego-set |archive-date=18 November 2024 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>

<ref name="MTGCards">{{Cite web |date=27 October 2025 |title=Secret Lair x PlayStation — New Superdrop Lineup |url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/secret-lair-the-playstation-superdrop |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260108221539/https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/secret-lair-the-playstation-superdrop |archive-date=8 January 2026 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[Magic: the Gathering]] |publisher=[[Wizards of the Coast]]}}</ref>

<ref name="MTGBonusCard">{{Cite web |last=Coulson |first=Josh |date=12 November 2025 |title=''Magic: the Gathering''{{'s}} Seven PlayStation Secret Lair Bonus Cards Revealed |url=https://www.thegamer.com/magic-the-gathering-playstation-secret-lair-bonus-cards/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251220001612/https://www.thegamer.com/magic-the-gathering-playstation-secret-lair-bonus-cards/ |archive-date=20 December 2025 |access-date=14 March 2026 |website=[[TheGamer]] |publisher=[[Valnet]]}}</ref>

}}

{{Horizon (franchise)|expanded=yes}}
[[Category:Action-adventure game characters]]
[[Category:Artificial intelligence characters in video games]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from the future]]
[[Category:Fictional robotic animals]]
[[Category:Fictional robotic dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Fictional robots]]
[[Category:Horizon (video game series)]]
[[Category:Role-playing video game characters]]
[[Category:Science fiction video game characters]]
[[Category:Sony Interactive Entertainment characters]]
[[Category:Video game bosses]]
[[Category:Video game characters introduced in 2017]]
[[Category:Video game species and races]]