Polaris Quest, a company owned by the Chinese giant Tencent, has unveiled its new project: Light of Motiram. This open-world survival game has sparked controversy (and curiosity) with its shocking resemblance to other established titles, such as Horizon Zero Dawn and Palworld.
The “Inspirations”
Light of Motiram is set in a post-apocalyptic land. In this open world, players will wrestle against huge “Mechanimals” that stalk humans. As mankind tries to reset itself at the dawn of a primitive new age, it immediately feels analogous to the pitch of Horizon Zero Dawn’s franchise from Sony.
Not only the story but also the marketing of Light of Motiram has been scrutinized, as they seem almost identical to Horizon Zero Dawn. For instance, the main visuals seem explicitly intended to be derivative, showing parallel sceneries to the Guerrilla Games franchise ones. Indeed, Light of Motiram's promotional materials show striking similarities to the Horizon aesthetic, whether it's the typography or character design.
Also, in terms of gameplay, Light of Motiram ironically seems to borrow elements from Palworld (which is itself currently being pursued by Nintendo). The developer and publisher of Light of Motiram are obviously well aware of these comparisons and are probably using this media stunt to promote their game.
Industry Reactions
The announcement of Light of Motiram has sparked controversy from industry veterans. Mike Ybarra, former Blizzard president, commented on social media with just “Ladies and gentlemen - Tencent”, highlighting what he perceives as a lack of originality.
Ladies and gentlemen - Tencent. https://t.co/im2mWIltwM
— Mike Ybarra ???? (@Qwik) November 28, 2024
The CEO of Kantan Games, Dr. Serkan Toto, also found amusement in the lack of creativity the game exhibits. Naturally, many social media commentators are calling it “shameless”.
I am colossally amused there is no shame left. https://t.co/bKbcb6CBLx
— Dr. Serkan Toto / Kantan Games Inc. (@serkantoto) November 28, 2024
Interestingly, other game developers had a mixed response. For example, when a community person said Light of Motiram is a Horizon x Palworld type of game, Pocketpair’s Bucky just said “Palworld mentioned – POG” showing good humor regarding the comparison.
Palworld mentioned - POG
— Bucky | Palworld (@Bucky_cm) November 28, 2024
A “Well-Established” Start-Up Strategy
An interesting aspect regarding Light of Motiram’s marketing is its involvement with Tencent, now the biggest player in the industry. We can safely say that being associated with such an entity can provide significant legal protection. A smaller studio may be deterred by legal actions, but due to the scale and connections of Tencent, especially with the Chinese market (and government?), the situation is more complex for Sony due to the potential risks of challenging Tencent.
That even raises questions about Sony's interest in getting into a dispute with such a major entity, and what implications this could have for the distribution of their games on the Chinese market. In the end, as Sony surprisingly shared Light of Motiram trailers over its Chinese social media platforms, BiliBili and Weibo, it is unlikely that the publisher of Horizon Zero Dawn intends any lawsuit. Who knows what kind of exchanges or business arrangements may have taken place here.
The Recipe for a Popular Game
The game's global development approach, including PC, console, and mobile versions, appears primed for market flooding. Moreover, Polaris Quest’s game will be free-to-play and its gameplay borrows elements from popular titles such as Horizon, Palworld, and Ark. All this puts Light of Motiram in position for the project to reach a wide audience.
Light of Motiram is branded as a complete survival game that will support seamless co-op for up to 10 players and is inspired by many things: players can catch and tame over a hundred hybrid mechanical-animal creatures. These Mechanimals are more than simple companions. They can be customized via “battle modes and production traits”. Players can use these creatures for combat, resource gathering, and base building.
One of the key features of Light of Motiram is its base-building system. Polaris Quest focuses on a construction mechanic with "realistic physics simulation where every beam or brick is subject to physics and the forces of nature." This approach indicates a degree of interaction with the environment that exceeds most survival games.
Marketing Moving Forward
Light of Motiram is a case study in marketing and how it plays out these days. Tencent and the Polaris Quest devs have succeeded in sparking many conversations around their game because of the fine line it has crossed. Love it or hate it, Light of Motiram has managed to capture players' attention, positioning itself as a title to watch. While the community awaits more information about the game, this is a thought-provoking way through which “inspiration”, marketing, and politics intersect.
