Horizon clone: Sony and Tencent reach agreement over "Light of Motiram"
Chinese publisher Tencent has promoted an apparent "Horizon" clone with "Light of Motiram". Following a lawsuit by Sony, an agreement has now been reached.
"Horizon" or "Light of Motiram"?
(Image: Tencent)
Six months after Sony filed a lawsuit against Chinese publisher Tencent over an apparent clone of “Horizon: Zero Dawn” and “Horizon: Forbidden West,” both parties have reached an out-of-court settlement. This is evident from a filing with the responsible court, which the US magazine The Verge has made public. Details are not known, so it is also unclear what exactly Sony and Tencent have agreed upon. The game called “Light of Motiram” has since disappeared from the game platforms Steam and Epic, although the official website for the game still links to both portals. It therefore appears that Sony has at least partially prevented the release of the title.
Striking Similarity
Due to the striking similarity to the “Horizon” titles, “Light of Motiram” has been causing a stir for a long time. A trailer for the game adopts so many elements from the apparent role models that Sony, as the publisher, decided to file a lawsuit in the summer. In it, the company pointed out that not only the robot dinosaurs in “Light of Motiram” bear a striking resemblance to those in “Horizon: Zero Dawn” and its sequel, but also the color scheme, the landscapes, and even the lettering used to promote the game. Sony filed the lawsuit in a US federal district court in California.
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Sony also publicly announced at the time that Tencent had tried to license Sony's “Horizon” brand for its game. Sony, however, rejected this request, and later the advertising for “Light of Motiram” began. Tencent has now stated to The Verge that they have reached an agreement with Sony and will not comment further on the matter. The removal of the title from Steam and Epic suggests that it will not be released as originally planned. It was most recently announced for late 2027. Just two weeks ago, Tencent announced to the court that no more advertising would be placed for the game and there would be no public tests. The release of “Light of Motiram” now seems at least questionable.
(mho)
