How to Start the Horizon Forbidden West DLC: The Burning Shores

If you’re wondering how to start The Burning Shores DLC for Horizon Forbidden West, the process is relatively straightforward, but it can be confusing because of one important factor (well, two: but one should be taken care of for you automatically). Before running off to meet Sylens, here’s how to trigger the DLC. 

Note that The Burning Shores expansion doesn’t unlock until 12 a.m. EST on April 19 or 9 p.m. PST on April 18. Though you can pre-load the expansion beforehand, you won’t be able to access it in Horizon Forbidden West until those dates and times. 

How to Trigger The Burning Shores DLC in Horizon Forbidden West

To start The Burning Shores DLC, these are the essential steps. 

• Install the DLC
• Update HFW to version 1.021.
• Start the game. 
• Load a completed save file (after Singularity but not during NG+).
• Receive a message from Sylens. 

Here are the steps in more detail. 

With the DLC installed, make sure Horizon Forbidden West updates to version 1.021. If you already have HFW installed and you’re connected to the Internet, this should happen automatically. Pull up the Command Center and check your download history for Horizon Forbidden West, not HFW: The Burning Shores. The former is for the update, the latter is for the expansion. 

Now start Horizon Forbidden West. If The Burning Shores DLC is installed, you’ll see the expansion’s symbol in the top right corner. Text in the symbol will tell you to complete the main questline whether you’ve got a completed save file or not, so don’t worry about that. 

However, you’ll have to load a completed save file, one after you’ve completed Singularity, the last primary mission in HFW. You can’t trigger the DLC unless you do this. Because of where the expansion’s storyline falls in Horizon Forbidden West, New Game+ saves won’t work unless you beat Singularity once again in NG+. 

Once you load into your completed game, you’ll see an overlay with some information. Confirm you’ve read it. And shortly after, you’ll hear Sylens speaking, telling you to meet him at Tilda’s, starting the quest, “To the Burning Shores.”

And that’s how to start The Burning Shores DLC in Horizon Forbidden West. Once you trigger it, many new adventures await. For more, head over to our HFW guides hub.

Featured image by GameSkinny.