Tencent’s upcoming post-apocalyptic open-world adventure Light of Motiram, long criticized as a blatant clone of Horizon Zero Dawn, has vanished from Steam and the Epic Games Store.
You may remember that Sony sued Tencent over the project, labeling it a “slavish” Horizon Zero Dawn copy in a copyright lawsuit filed in a California court at the end of July. Sony’s legal filing detailed extensive similarities, juxtaposing marketing screenshots and game descriptions from both titles.
Much like Horizon, Light of Motiram unfolds in a ruined world dominated by massive robotic dinosaurs roaming vast natural landscapes—tropical forests, deserts, and snow-capped peaks. Both games also center on red-haired female protagonists clad in nearly identical outfits and equipped with devices closely resembling Aloy’s “Focus” earpiece.
Unsurprisingly, Sony accused Tencent of developing a “knock-off game” and sought a preliminary injunction to halt the Chinese giant’s pre-release promotion of the title.
Just days after Sony filed its lawsuit, Tencent quietly updated its Steam page for Light of Motiram, replacing several screenshots—including the cover image—before responding by arguing it was merely leveraging “well-trodden” tropes and suggesting Sony’s own game bore too many resemblances to Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. Tencent further described Sony’s lawsuit as an overreach, pointing to other franchises with comparable elements, such as The Legend of Zelda and Far Cry. It was “startling,” Tencent claimed, that Sony now portrayed Horizon’s concept as original rather than built from “ubiquitous genre ingredients.”
The bitter dispute now appears resolved. As noted by The Verge, new court papers filed on December 17 reveal both sides have reached a “confidential settlement,” effectively ending Sony’s lawsuit—and Tencent’s countersuit—as well. Each party is said to bear its own legal expenses.
Without public disclosure of the settlement’s terms, the full resolution remains unclear—though the removal of Light of Motiram from all major storefronts is a strong indicator. The original game URLs now redirect to each platform’s homepage, and Tencent has issued no further updates regarding its release date. It seems unlikely the game will reappear, certainly not in its current form.
