In July, Sony sued mega gaming corp Tencent over the Chinese publisher’s upcoming project, Light of Motiram. The issue, as described by Sony, is that consumers could be confused by Light of Motiram‘s marketing, which was seemingly designed to evoke the image of Horizon Zero Dawn. A couple of weeks later, it seems like Tencent is taking heed: Storefront pages and trailers for Light of Motiram have been scrubbed and redone to look and sound quite different.
Light of Motiram is an open-world action game where players face off against colossal robots shaped like animals, set in a world that combines a futuristic aesthetic with an Indigenous people bent. The game sounds like a mishmash of popular ideas in that it also includes concepts like crafting, co-op base building, and some light platforming elements. Still, it was hard to ignore the similarities to Sony’s first-party franchise, Horizon Zero Dawn. Beyond the basic concept of taking down giant robots that look like ancient creatures, the protagonist was highly reminiscent of Horizon protagonist Aloy. That was especially the case when Motiram‘s protagonist was depicted wearing a specific piece of headgear, which more closely mimicked the long-haired, leather-focused look Aloy is now known for. Images on storefronts also appeared to be staged in a similar way to Horizon Zero Dawn assets in terms of framing and coloring.
It didn’t help that Sony alleges that Tencent approached the PlayStation maker with a pitch for an Eastern Horizon Zero Dawn spinoff, and that concept included things that would later turn up in Light of Motiram, like survival mechanics. Together, all of these factors were enough ammunition for Sony to sue Tencent over Light of Motiram to the tune of $150,000 per work infringed. The lawsuit also specified wanting Tencent to hand over all marketing materials so that Sony could “destroy” them.
It’s unclear if Tencent is indeed working with Sony to address the issue, but it seems that the world’s biggest gaming company is on the case. If you load up something like Light of Motiram‘s Steam storefront, nearly all the lead visuals are different now. The original trailer that announced the game seems to have been pulled down, though it survives in re-uploads from other entities. The key artwork that typically acts as a banner on the right side of the storefront has been changed from Motiram‘s female protagonist to a couple of digital creatures. Both critters are a slightly different shade of blue than the cybernetic colorway that defined Horizon Zero Dawn‘s look.
Some of the older screenshots remain, but the ones that apparently took inspiration from Horizon Zero Dawn — specifically ones that feature Motiram‘s Aloy-like heroine — are no longer present. The first images also showcase the game with a slightly different tone, with an emphasis on base building and the overworld over robot-focused combat. The description of the game still begins by describing its focus on boss fights, but it no longer mentions the fact those battles are against primal robots. Really, it’s a lot vaguer as to what the player will be doing, other than surviving somehow:
In this wilderness where civilization is a distant memory, primal cultures, extreme weather, will constantly test your survival skills. Make smart use of everything around you to stay alive and face off against formidable bosses, every step is fraught with danger and requires courage. Only by overcoming the challenges of survival can you carve out a place for yourself in this unforgiving land.
With these adjustments to the marketing, Light of Motiram almost comes across like a different game. Granted, these are only cosmetic changes. But Light of Motiram hasn’t been released yet, which gives Tencent time to change the game as needed so that it both looks and plays less like a Horizon Zero Dawn knockoff. The release window has been updated to say Light of Motiram is coming out sometime in 2027, which is later than its original window.
Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment. For now, Light of Motiram is still available on platforms like Steam, where it can be added to wishlists. Light of Motiram is also currently a part of the platform’s Multiplayer Games Fest, which appears to celebrate Chinese games that can be played with other people through discounts and unlocks, like profile backgrounds.
