Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) previously made a big moveAccusationTencent's game *Light of Motiram* is accused of blatant plagiarism of its flagship *Horizon* series. It is now clear that the two companies have reached an agreement."Secrecy Settlement" (Confidential Settlement) The lawsuit has been officially dropped, and the controversial game Wildlands Origins has been removed from platforms such as Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Sony angrily criticizes plagiarism
Looking back at this controversy, Sony officially filed a lawsuit in July of this year, using very strong language, directly accusing Wild Origins of clearly plagiarizing Horizon Zero Dawn.
Sony pointed out that this game is not only similar in gameplay, but also strikingly similar to the Horizon series (including Westward Journey and LEGO Horizon Adventure) in its world setting of "post-apocalyptic coexistence of humans and mechanical creatures," character visuals, and even the composition and style of its marketing materials. When the game was first announced, many players and media immediately noticed the strong sense of déjà vu.
Stop testing and remove from app stores.
Earlier this month, Tencent had already agreed to halt the game's public testing and promotional activities, seemingly paving the way for a settlement. Now, with the signing of the confidentiality agreement, the game's fate is largely sealed: it will simply disappear from the market.
A Tencent spokesperson stated, "Sony Interactive Entertainment and Tencent are pleased to have reached a confidentiality agreement and will not make any further public comments on this matter."
Analysis: Sony is determined to protect its intellectual property, not giving an inch.
In my opinion, the outcome of this case is not unexpected. Although there are many examples of games "paying homage" to each other's gameplay (such as Phantom Beasts and Pokémon), the overlap between Wildlands Origins and Horizon Zero Dawn in terms of art style and core setting is so high that it is almost impossible to explain it as a "coincidence".
For Sony, Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the most important core IPs in the PlayStation camp. In addition to the main game, there are VR, LEGO derivatives and even film and television plans. Naturally, they cannot tolerate such a highly similar competing product appearing on the market and confusing the public.
For Tencent, choosing to settle and remove the game from app stores to minimize losses when the evidence might be unfavorable is perhaps an unavoidable business consideration. This also serves as a reminder to game developers that they must be even more careful in drawing the line between borrowing from masterpieces and creating original works.
