Tencent’s upcoming game Light of Motiram is under fire for its striking resemblance to Sony’s Horizon series, sparking online debates and comparisons. Developed by Polaris Quest, a Tencent subsidiary in Shanghai, Light of Motiram is described as an open-world multiplayer survival game blending elements of nature and machines.
The controversy stems from the gameplay snippets and appearance of combat in a game that bears a striking resemblance to Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West, both developed by Guerrilla. Allegations of deception have been made using robot-like entities, a female bow wielder, and post-apocalyptic settings. In a hostile world, players congregate to play alone or with a friend, and they construct “bases of operation” together.
They engage in a virtual “sword-to-sword” combat to “rebuild a new civilization; battle, befriend, and raise mechanimals.” Comparisons with Pocketpair’s Palworld have also been drawn as a result of the survival mechanics and base construction, which are likely due to these elements. Notably, Palworld had already been required to defend itself against legal action from Nintendo and The Pokemon Company for patent infringement.
Online reactions to Light of Motiram have ranged from humor to outrage. A streamlined user remarked, “This is Palworld all over again,” while another labeled the game as a “disgusting rip-off.” Due to the identical aesthetics and gameplay features, some even drew comparisons to Capcom’s Monster Hunter.
This situation raises questions about potential legal action. Sony said to be working on a multiplayer Horizon game, could take a dim view of Light of Motiram. No comments have been made by Sony or Tencent on this subject.
The free-to-play, cross-playable game Light of Motiram will launch on mobile and PC in 2025. On each server, the game may handle a maximum of 10 people. Whether the controversy will impact its release remains to be seen.
