Tencent Alters Steam Page for Horizon-Inspired Light of Motiram Following Sony’s Lawsuit

Copyright Battle: Sony vs. Tencent Over Light of Motiram

Recently, the gaming community was not taken aback when Sony initiated a copyright lawsuit against Tencent concerning the game Light of Motiram. The lawsuit makes several assertions, including labeling Light of Motiram a “slavish clone”of Guerrilla Games’ acclaimed series. This legal action has stirred significant discussions about originality and intellectual property rights within the gaming industry.

Modifications to Light of Motiram

In the wake of this ongoing lawsuit, Tencent has reportedly made notable changes to the game’s Steam page. As highlighted by The Game Post, these alterations include an update to the key art, a revised game description, and the removal of several screenshots featuring the distinct red-haired protagonist.

Original vs. Revised Game Description

The previous description on Steam presented Light of Motiram as follows:

“In a world overrun by colossal machines, explore the vast open world, build your base of operations, advance technology, train Mechanimals, and take on formidable bosses. Starting from the primitive age, forge a new path of development. Defy machination, survive with mechanimals.”

The revised description now communicates:

“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.”

This new version appears significantly more generic and notably omits any reference to the Mechanimals, which bear a striking resemblance to the robotic dinosaurs famously featured in Guerrilla Games’ franchise.

The Legal Implications

The question arises: will these modifications influence the outcome of the lawsuit? At this point, it’s difficult to predict which direction the case may take, despite its seemingly straightforward nature. Details revealed in Sony’s lawsuit imply complications. For instance, it has come to light that Tencent previously approached Sony about a possible collaboration to develop a game based on the Horizon series; however, Sony declined the proposal, leading Tencent to pursue Light of Motiram.

Future Precedents

While the situation may seem like a clear-cut case of imitation, copyright disputes, especially involving high-profile corporations, are rarely as straightforward as they appear. Regardless of the outcome, this legal confrontation is likely to set significant precedents for future intellectual property rights controversies within the gaming sector.

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