Tencent’s “Origin of the Wild” Sued: Penguin Character Removed
Tencent’s “Origin of the Wild” Modifies Horizon-similar Descriptions After Sony Lawsuit, Key Visual Character Changed to Penguin
Tencent’s newly released open-world survival game, “Origin of the Wild” (荒野起源), has undergone significant changes following a lawsuit filed by Sony interactive Entertainment. The core of the dispute? Striking similarities to Sony’s critically acclaimed “Horizon” series. Let’s dive into the details of the lawsuit and the subsequent modifications made to the game.
The Lawsuit and Allegations of Copyright infringement
Sony filed a complaint in a Shanghai court alleging that “Origin of the Wild” copied the aesthetic style,character designs,and overall concept of the “Horizon” series,notably “Horizon Zero Dawn” and “Horizon Forbidden West.” Specifically, Sony pointed to the game’s promotional materials and in-game elements as evidence of substantial similarity.
The lawsuit focused on several key areas:
Visual Style: The overall art direction, including the depiction of robotic creatures and post-apocalyptic landscapes, closely mirrored the “Horizon” games.
Character Design: The protagonist and supporting characters in “origin of the Wild” bore a noticeable resemblance to Aloy, the main character in the “horizon” series.
Gameplay Mechanics: Certain gameplay elements, such as hunting robotic creatures with bows and arrows, were also identified as being to similar.
Marketing Materials: Promotional images and descriptions used by Tencent were deemed to intentionally evoke the “Horizon” aesthetic.
Changes Made to “Origin of the Wild”
Following the lawsuit, Tencent swiftly moved to address Sony’s concerns. The most visible change is the alteration of the game’s key visual. The original artwork featured a female character strikingly similar to Aloy. this has now been replaced with a penguin-themed character. Yes, you read that right – a penguin!
Beyond the key visual, Tencent has also:
revised Game descriptions: the game’s descriptions on app stores and promotional materials have been rewritten to remove any direct references or comparisons to the “Horizon” series.
Modified In-Game Assets: While details are still emerging, reports suggest that Tencent has adjusted certain in-game character models and environmental designs to further differentiate the game from “Horizon.”
* Adjusted Promotional Strategy: Tencent appears to be shifting it’s marketing focus away from emphasizing the open-world survival aspects and towards highlighting the game’s unique features.