Tencent Has Eyes on Horizon
The ongoing lawsuit between Sony and Tencent over the copycat title Light of Motiram – Horizon is growing with new, potentially industry-relevant details. Documents found in court filings have revealed that Tencent has its sights set not only on the Horizon universe but also on The Last of Us.
Tencent’s Eyes Aren’t Just on The Last of Us!
Statements made by PlayStation Studios Mobile President Olivier Courtemanche have revealed behind-the-scenes negotiations between the two companies. According to Courtemanche, Tencent wanted to pursue The Last of Us after the Horizon collaboration was rejected. However, this opportunity turned out to be contrary to expectations and appears to have further strained relations between the two parties.
Project Z: The First Move on Horizon
The process began in early 2024. Tencent and Aurora Studios presented a Horizon project, codenamed “Project Z,” to the Sony team at the DICE Las Vegas and GDC San Francisco events in the US.
The presentation featured a low-quality video, featuring a female character dressed in tribal attire and metal armor, along with robotic animals. This clearly bore a Horizon-inspired design.
However, Sony definitively rejected the idea in an email dated April 8, 2024. PlayStation clearly stated that it was not interested in licensing the Horizon universe.
Tencent Insists: “We Want Nothing But Horizon”
Despite Sony’s rejection, Tencent persisted. In an email sent on May 16, 2024, it stated that the Aurora Studios team only wanted to work on Horizon.
The email included the following:
“For the Aurora team, Horizon is a brand they are passionate about and aligns with the talent they developed on Project Z. We are not interested in any other IP.”
Tencent wanted to focus all its energy on Horizon, while Sony closed the door on it.
The Shenzhen Meeting
The point where things fell apart was the meeting held in Shenzhen in July 2024. Courtemanche and his team went there to discuss a potential collaboration for The Last of Us.
However, the slide that appeared during Aurora’s presentation contained visuals that resembled Horizon. According to Courtemanche:
“We came to talk about The Last of Us, but what we saw were robot-animal hybrids that embodied the Horizon aesthetic. These visuals were early assets for the game known today as Light of Motiram.”
Sony was stunned to see a project it had previously rejected brought back to the table. The anticipated Last of Us opportunity was squandered due to a misguided presentation.
Light of Motiram and the Horizon Debate
Today, Sony’s lawsuit alleges that Light of Motiram is excessively similar to Horizon. Numerous elements, from the character designs to the mechanical creatures, are reminiscent of Guerrilla Games’ Horizon universe.
Sony accuses Tencent in court documents:
“They are evading responsibility by playing a shell game with their brands and subsidiaries. These allegations are utter nonsense.”
Tencent’s insistence on Horizon appears to have paved the way for Light of Motiram. However, the detail about The Last of Us shared by Sony in court documents completely changes the complexion of the situation. A potential TLOU partnership, even on the mobile side, could have generated significant interest from gamers.
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