Tencent Responds to Sony Lawsuit with Immediate Steam Page Changes for Light of Motiram
Just days after Sony filed a lawsuit against Tencent for alleged intellectual property infringement regarding its popular Horizon series, the Steam page for the upcoming adventure game, Light of Motiram, has undergone noticeable alterations.
Developed by Polaris Quest, a Tencent subsidiary, Light of Motiram was unveiled late last year as a post-apocalyptic action title featuring survival and crafting elements. However, from its initial reveal, the game drew significant criticism for its striking resemblance to Sony and Guerrilla Games' Horizon franchise. Mechanical, beast-like machines, a core element of the Horizon universe, prominently featured in Light of Motiram's promotional materials. Beyond just creature design, the setting, character aesthetics, and overall mood of Tencent's project bore a strong likeness, leading to the accusations from Sony.
According to Sony's legal filing, Tencent had previously attempted to secure a license to use the Horizon universe. Upon being denied, Sony claims the Chinese tech giant then proceeded to develop what it described as a 'pathetic clone' of their successful franchise.
Promotional Materials and Description See Major Overhaul
In a swift move, several screenshots and trailers have been removed from the Light of Motiram Steam page. This includes the prominent cover image featuring a heroine who bore a strong resemblance to Horizon's protagonist, Aloy. This image has since been replaced with alternative artwork, and other promotional materials have been updated accordingly.
Perhaps the most telling change comes in the game's official description. The original text highlighted a 'world overrun by giant machines' and the ability to 'train mech-animals,' phrases that heavily echoed the themes of the Horizon games. The old description read:
In a world overrun by giant machines, explore a vast open world, build your base, develop technology, train mech-animals, and battle formidable bosses. Starting from a primal age, forge a new path of development. Challenge machines and survive alongside mech-animals.
The updated description now shifts its focus dramatically, emphasizing 'harsh survival' and 'fighting formidable bosses,' with no mention of the original elements that drew comparisons to Horizon. The new description states:
Wisely use everything around you to survive and fight formidable bosses — every step is full of danger and requires courage. Only by overcoming the trials of survival can you carve out your place in this merciless land.
While Tencent has yet to issue any public statement regarding the lawsuit, the rapid and extensive updates visible on SteamDB clearly indicate the company's efforts to distance Light of Motiram from any perceived parallels with Sony's Horizon universe.
Light of Motiram is currently slated for release in the fourth quarter of 2027, with plans for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and mobile platforms. These latest developments suggest that players might see a significantly different game, at least in its public presentation, than what was initially teased, as Tencent navigates this high-profile legal challenge.
Post a Comment