The copyright dispute between Sony and Tencent over the game "Light of Motiram" has officially come to a close. According to U.S. court documents filed this week, both parties have reached a confidential settlement and jointly requested the court to dismiss the case. Following the filing, "Light of Motiram" has also been delisted from Steam and the Epic Games Store, a move that has drawn significant attention from the gaming community.
Sony filed the lawsuit in a California federal court this past July, alleging that "Light of Motiram" was substantially similar to "Horizon Zero Dawn" and "Horizon Forbidden West" in its overall art style, world-building, and mechanical creature designs. The complaint argued this constituted copyright and trademark infringement and could even mislead players into believing the game was part of the "Horizon" franchise. In the suit, Sony went as far as to label the title a "carbon copy."
Tencent had previously fired back, calling the allegations "shocking" and criticizing Sony for attempting to monopolize a specific cultural and creative style. However, while the lawsuit was ongoing, Tencent had already suspended the public beta for "Light of Motiram," indicating the legal battle was having a tangible impact on the project's development.
According to the latest court filing, the case is to be dismissed "with prejudice," meaning both parties have reached a final agreement on all disputes and cannot bring the same claims to court again. The game's disappearance from digital storefronts is being interpreted by observers as a sign that Tencent may be evaluating modifications to the game or rethinking its release strategy.
via： VGC