is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.
In July, Sony sued Tencent to prevent the release of Light of Motiram, a game Sony alleged was a “slavish clone” of its popular Horizon series. But the legal battle is already over; the two companies have reached a “confidential settlement” and the case has been dismissed with prejudice, according to a court document filed on Wednesday.
Light of Motiram is also no longer listed on Steam and the Epic Games Store despite the game’s website showing links to listings on both stores as of this writing. A user on the game’s official subreddit also noticed the removal, pointing to a SteamDB link that says “this app has been retired and is no longer available on the Steam store.”
Light of Motiram was announced last year, and the aesthetics of its reveal trailer show a striking resemblance to Horizon the series, featuring lush landscapes, futuristic technology, and monstrous animal-like robots. In its lawsuit, Sony also alleged that Tencent used its “rip-off” of Horizon protagonist Aloy as the “centerpiece” of its marketing and promotional strategy.
“Tencent’s unlawful copying of the protected audiovisual elements of the Horizon games, as well as its deliberate adoption of a confusingly similar character mark, constitutes both copyright and trademark infringement that should be enjoined immediately to prevent irreparable harm to [Sony Interactive Entertainment] and the consuming public,” Sony said at the time.
“SIE and Tencent are pleased to have reached a confidential resolution and will have no further public comment on this matter,” Sean Durkin, head of communications for Tencent Americas, tells The Verge. “SIE and Tencent look forward to working together in the future.” Sony didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
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