Horizon Forbidden West update adds thalassophobia mode

A new accessibility mode makes swimming underwater much less daunting.

If you’re somebody that’s not too keen on murky, seemingly unending bodies of water – Horizon Forbidden West just got a patch that’ll be to your liking.

On Tuesday, developer Guerrilla Games released Patch 1.21 for Horizon Forbidden West for PS5. It’s primarily an accessibility update that adds various color blind settings, HUD adjustments, navigation assist features, and, most interestingly: a thalassophobia mode.

For those unfamiliar with what thalassophobia is: it’s essentially the fear of deep bodies of water – typically oceans. According to Healthline, approximately 5 to 10 percent of people in the United States have thalassophobia. So it’s not an uncommon phobia by any means.

It seems that since Horizon Forbidden West‘s upcoming Burning Shores DLC features a lot of underwater exploration – the developers thought it wise to add a mode that eases up any possible anxiety-inducing moments.

“This feature aims to ease thalassophobia symptoms by improving underwater ambient visibility and allowing you to breathe indefinitely, regardless of story progression,” Guerrilla Games said on Reddit.

Sony’s first-party studios have been leading the accessibility charge for quite some time, but this is taking things one step further (rightfully so). 

Burning Shores arrives on April 19, 2023. Unlike Horizon Forbidden West‘s base game, the DLC will be exclusive to PS5. Judging from the stunning launch trailer, it’s clear that Guerrilla Games is dialling up the graphical fidelity by a considerable margin.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF.

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