(Photo : Tencent, Polaris Quest / Screenshot taken from official website)
Video game publisher Tencent just showed off gameplay footage of its upcoming game Light of Motiram, which immediately sparked backlash from the community calling it a rip-off of the Horizon franchise.
Developer Polaris Quest shared 16 minutes of in-game footage that somewhat mitigated the controversy by showing that the game is somewhat different. Many players criticized Light of Motiram when it was originally revealed.
Light of Motiram Gameplay
But the latest trailer shows that the game seems to be a survival-based title but looks a lot like the Horizon series. There is no question among players that the developers took inspiration, if not outright ripped off, from Guerilla Games' highly popular franchise.
The gameplay also showed that Light of Motiram had similar elements to games like ARK and Souls. Light of Motiram's trailer left a lot of people conflicted as while it looks impressive, it just seems like the same old idea using concepts and designs of other titles, according to Insider Gaming.
One YouTube user said that they don't think any developer could be more "unoriginal" than Light of Motiram. Another user, MrMultiPlatform, on the other hand, said that the game looks fantastic.
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Polaris Quest announced that the game is set to arrive sometime in 2025 for PC users but has not given a more specific release window.
The situation with Light of Motiram's supposed rip-off of the Horizon franchise even reached former Blizzard boss Mike Ybarra. He took to X in order to join in on the issue and said, "Ladies and gentlemen - Tencent," Games Radar said.
A Horizon Rip-Off
Tencent's latest title is a "mechanimal" multiplayer open-world survival crafting game that comes as there is a Horizon MMO that is already under development. Similar to the Horizon franchise, Light of Motiram stars a red-haired, bow-wielding character.
The individual in question looks to be wearing Native American-inspired clothing and the game itself seems to focus on rebuilding human civilization. The setting is in a "lush world dominated by mechanical beasts."
Ybarra's post also featured a promo image for Light of Motiram that is eerily similar in composition to one of the pictures that was used in the Horizon franchise. They both showcase their red-haired protagonist overlooking a valley filled with massive robotic creatures.
On top of releasing for PC, Tencent also revealed that Light of Motiram will be coming to PlayStation 5 sometime in the future. The studio also talked a little bit about the game, including what players can expect, according to IGN.
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