Unlocking this trophy in Horizon Forbidden West will plant an actual tree

As Horizon Forbidden West players fight to save the planet from a rogue terraforming system, they will also simultaneously help the planet in real life. Every time the trophy ‘Reached the Daunt’ is unlocked, Sony will plant a tree.

The widely anticipated sequel to Guerrilla Games’ flagship title is now right on the horizon… thank you, I’m here all week.

With rave reviews across the board, Horizon Forbidden West will see players embody protagonist Aloy once again and she embarks on another mission to restore wildlife in the forbidden west.

For those who’ve yet to give it a go, the game’s themes touch on the very pertinent subjects of climate degradation and the fragility of natural ecosystems – albeit with giant mecca dinosaurs roaming around.

Though some of the existential topics may hit close to home, the good news is you’ll actually contribute to bettering your own planet just by playing.

There’s a non-missable trophy players will obtain early in the story titled ‘Reached the Daunt’ which people will unlock within the first few hours.  For every time this is obtained, Sony has pledged to plant a real life tree to help with reforestation projects around the US.

The campaign is aptly called Play and Plant and will be executed on the ground by the Arbor Day Foundation. The charity has pre-selected three forest areas spanning a combined 320,000+ acres which have either sustained wildfire damage, or currently have declining animal populations.

The program has prepared for a maximum of 288,000 thousand trees in Horizon donations – provided enough people unlock the trophy by March 25, which is all but guaranteed given the sales of the previous game and the critical acclaim it has received.

‘For the release of Horizon Forbidden West, we want to do something to help nature… with you, said Sony in a recent announcement. ‘Just like how Aloy fights to save the Earth in the game, we can do something together to help our planet.’

Elsewhere, Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney has spent millions acquiring and donating land in his home state of North Carolina for conservation efforts.

As of tomorrow, don’t let anyone tell you gaming is waste of time ever again.