Tencent’s new game, Light of Motiram, is under fire for being a “shameless” copy of Sony’s Horizon series, with fans blasting its similarities in art, mechanics, and characters.
Tencent’s subsidiary, Polaris Quest, has just unveiled its new game, Light of Motiram. Described as a visually stunning action-adventure MMO game, the title promises an open-world experience with “Mechanimals”—giant mechanical beasts that roam the wilderness of a post-apocalyptic Earth.
While the game’s official description paints an exciting picture of a world ruled by machines and humanity struggling to rebuild, fans couldn’t help but notice something strikingly familiar. If you’ve ever played Sony’s Horizon Zero Dawn or Horizon Forbidden West, the similarities are hard to ignore.
Developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the Horizon series features lush open-world environments, towering mechanical creatures, and a strong-willed protagonist navigating a post-apocalyptic Earth. And now, Light of Motiram appears to replicate almost every aspect of it—from its art style to its gameplay mechanics.
Fans Call Out Light of Motiram For Shamelessly Ripping Sony’s Horizon Series
Shortly after the announcement, Light of Motiram began trending on social media for all the wrong reasons. Players were quick to point out glaring similarities to the Horizon games. One user on X (Twitter) didn’t hold back, calling the game “Horizon Zero Originality” and adding, “What a shame…”
Another said, “They should get sued for this one. Like that game should just be called ‘Horizon: One Dawn’ or something.” The backlash didn’t stop there. Fans noted how even the description of Light of Motiram echoes the themes of Horizon.
The official game description promises an “Earth and human civilization as we once knew it are gone” narrative, where players journey through “lush tropical rainforests to barren desert landscapes and snow-capped mountain peaks.”
This open-world exploration, combined with a focus on battling giant mechanical beasts, feels eerily close to Horizon’s formula. Genki Gamer, a well-known content creator, summed up the controversy perfectly with a viral post: “This is shameless.”
The criticisms don’t stop at the setting. Players also pointed out that Light of Motiram’s protagonist seems heavily inspired by Aloy, the red-haired character of the Horizon series. One fan said, “I know some games take inspiration from others, but, this is just Horizon. Even the main character is almost the same.”
Players have also raised concerns about Tencent’s history of drawing “inspiration” from successful titles. With Light of Motiram, fans feel the line between homage and plagiarism has been completely crossed.
You can watch the teaser trailer for Light of Motiram below.
While the game does introduce features like a “freeform building system powered by realistic physics simulation” and “over 100 customizable Mechanimals” to train and battle with, players argue these additions don’t justify its similarities to Horizon.