Shuhei Yoshida Explains Horizon Forbidden West Surprisingly Fell Short of Sales Expectations

Former SIE Worldwide Studio’s president Shuhei Yoshida explained that he was surprised Horizon Forbidden West didn’t sell more than it did. He further explained the title was a major release from a popular sequel and already had its loyal fanbase indicating that sales should have been more than what it eventually sold.

Horizon Forbidden West is a popular adventure title from the highly-respected Horizon sequel. Following the success of its predecessor, Horizon Forbidden West was launched featuring the previous protagonist Aloy who sets on a new quest to discover the root cause behind the deadly plague within the ruined remains of the western United States.

As estimated, Horizon Forbidden West was launched to critical acclaim and was a well-received title by fans of the Horizon series and new players alike. The title was praised for its realistic visuals, immersive combat and melodious audio, but was criticized for its plot. The game received mostly positive reviews on Steam and reportedly amassed 8.4 million sold units in April 2023, since its release in 2022.

In a recent interview with Kinda Funny Games, Shuhei Yoshida explained that he expected Horizon Forbidden West to sell more units than it apparently did. Although the title faced launch issues by releasing around the same time as massive hits like Elden Ring, the game still found its way to the hearts of many. That said, being from a popular sequel Horizon, Shuhei Yoshida thought it would be equal to the task and would achieve a higher amount of sales.

Although Horizon Forbidden West has been a lucrative title for Sony and performed exceptionally well after its 2022 release, the title just didn’t meet the sales expectations of EX SIE Worldwide Studio’s president Shuhei Yoshida, as he revealed in his first interview.That said, he explained he still loves the Horizon franchise even describing Forbidden West as “bigger and great.”

With the release of the Horizon Forbidden West PC port, the game’s global fanbase was further bolstered. That aside, with a video-adaptation of Horizon Zero Dawn reportedly in progress at Columbia Pictures, fans can expect to see their favorite protagonist Aloy on TV soon.