Tencent’s newly announced game Light of Motiram has drawn significant criticism for its remarkable resemblance to Sony’s acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn series. The controversy has reached such proportions that industry veterans, including former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra, have publicly commented on the apparent similarities.
Light of Motiram, scheduled for a 2025 release on PC and consoles, presents itself as a “mechanimal” multiplayer open-world survival crafting game. The timing of its announcement is particularly noteworthy, as it coincides with the expected release window of the official Horizon MMO, creating an awkward parallel that hasn’t gone unnoticed by industry observers.
The similarities between the two games are striking enough to raise eyebrows across the gaming industry. Like Horizon Zero Dawn, Light of Motiram features a red-haired protagonist wielding a bow, dressed in what appears to be Native American-inspired attire, navigating through a world dominated by mechanical beasts. The game’s premise of rebuilding human civilization in this setting bears an undeniable resemblance to Guerrilla Games’ established franchise.
Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the similarity lies in the game’s promotional materials. One particular promotional image from Light of Motiram has drawn special attention for its composition, which mirrors a famous Horizon Zero Dawn screenshot almost exactly. Both images showcase their protagonists positioned on the left side of the frame, standing beneath a tree while overlooking a valley populated with massive robots, all set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains with similar lighting direction. The main difference appears to be a slightly adjusted camera angle and proximity to the character.
Mike Ybarra’s succinct comment on social media – “Ladies and gentlemen – Tencent” – has added fuel to the ongoing discussion about game cloning and intellectual property rights in the gaming industry. His involvement in the conversation has lent additional weight to the controversy, given his significant industry experience and former position at Blizzard.
However, beneath the surface-level similarities, Light of Motiram does appear to be attempting to carve out its own identity through distinct gameplay mechanics. The game incorporates survival elements and features a building system with realistic physics simulation, where construction materials respond to physical forces and natural elements. This combination of mechanics suggests an attempt to blend elements of Ark: Survival Evolved with the aesthetic and thematic elements of Horizon Zero Dawn.
This hybrid approach to game design draws parallels to other recent titles that have borrowed established concepts while adding their own twist, such as Palworld’s combination of Pokemon-like creatures with survival mechanics. However, Palworld’s current legal challenges with Nintendo serve as a reminder of the potential consequences of treading too close to established intellectual properties.
The situation raises important questions about the fine line between inspiration and imitation in game development. While gaming history is full of examples where developers have built upon existing concepts to create something new, the degree of visual and thematic similarity in this case has sparked debate about acceptable boundaries in creative inspiration.
Attempts to obtain clarification from Light of Motiram’s PR agency have been unsuccessful, leaving many questions unanswered about the development team’s perspective on these similarities. The lack of response has only intensified speculation and discussion within the gaming community about the ethical implications of such close resemblances to established properties.
As the gaming industry continues to evolve, cases like this highlight the ongoing challenges in balancing creative inspiration with originality, particularly as major companies like Tencent seek to establish themselves in new markets and genres. The ultimate reception of Light of Motiram, when it releases in 2025, will likely depend not only on its gameplay merits but also on how successfully it can distinguish itself from its apparent inspiration.
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