Horizon Forbidden West's Threat May Be Connected to Zero Dawn's Ending

gamerant.com:

Many fans assumed that Horizon: Zero Dawn would receive a sequel eventually, and for good reason. Pair its cliffhanger end-credits scene with the game's great success, and it makes a lot of sense. Now with the PS5 and its slew of upcoming games announced, Horizon: Forbidden West is the official sequel coming to PS5 in 2021, and with a new game comes a completely new threat. Although it may not be completely new per se; in fact, it may very well be related to a certain other malevolent force from the first game.

Even though it was left particularly vague, there was a hint at the end of Horizon: Zero Dawn that a potential sequel would be coming to the series. Now this new "red blight" that is infecting the lands in Horizon: Forbidden West seems to be the new threat that Aloy must stop. While the identity or source of the red blight is currently unknown, it may have a peculiar connection with Horizon: Zero Dawn's story. Note: Spoilers for Horizon: Zero Dawn ahead.

RELATED: Horizon: Forbidden West PS5 Release Window Confirmed

Horizon: Forbidden West's latest trailer gave fans a quick glimpse into what's in store for Aloy's next adventure. Despite how brief the reveal was, the game kept hinting at a new threat to the world that Aloy needed to stop. In particular, it seems to be some kind of plague-like disease or infectious growth that's taking over plants and animals across the former American West Coast. Known only as the "red blight," this vine-looking organism seems to infect and kill anything around it over time like a virus. There also seems to be a red storm that can be seen in the distance in some shots of the trailer, hinting at a force of destruction even greater than just a virus.

In fact, there's several