Tencent’s Shameless Knockoff and Sony’s Console Surrender: Gaming’s Biggest Scandals Exposed
Hello everyone. Gather round, because today’s gaming news buffet is a mix of cold leftovers, lukewarm corporate spin, and a tiny sprinkle of premium dessert – if by dessert you mean we might, maybe, potentially, sort-of know when Silksong is coming out. But don’t hold your breath – trust me, it’s not worth the oxygen deprivation.
Tencent and the Fine Art of Not Saying “Sorry”
First up – Tencent, the world’s biggest collector of other people’s intellectual property, allegedly tried to sweet talk Sony into letting them use Horizon Zero Dawn for a survival crafting game. Sony, in a rare display of corporate spine, apparently said “No.” So, naturally, Tencent just… did it anyway. Classy, right?
The result was Light of Motiram, which looked about as “coincidentally similar” to Horizon as those knock-off brand cereal boxes that say “Honey Oat Loops” in the same EXACT font. Now that they’ve been smacked with a lawsuit, Tencent is stealthily scrubbing Steam like they’re cleaning up after a particularly embarrassing party – removing “colossal machines,” ditching “Mechanimals,” and generally pretending like none of this happened. As a doctor, I prescribe them a full course of anti-plagiarism medication, taken twice daily, preferably with a sense of shame. Side effects may include improved originality and loss of arrogance.
Sony’s PS6: The “Who Even Cares” Console?
Meanwhile, Sony’s chirping about moving away from a “hardware centric business model” and toward a “community engagement platform.” Translation: “We’re selling you less plastic, more subscriptions.” This is the part where you realize the console war is not so much ending as it is being replaced by “The Battle of How Many Streaming Services You’ll Pay for Before You Die.”
When even God of War’s Kratos is being used as a meme response, you know there’s a cultural shift happening. It’s almost like Sony’s saying the PS6 won’t even matter that much – which is… bold. Like announcing your next cake will be smaller, uglier, and with less frosting while expecting people to still pre-order it.
Xbox’s Handheld Gambit & the Silksong Conspiracy
Apparently, the Xbox ROG Ally release date “leaked,” suggesting October 16 as the big day – and here’s where the tin foil hats come out. Silksong, that mythical beast we’ve been waiting on longer than some marriages last, might also drop that day. Why? Because Xbox hyped it alongside the handheld. Correlation? Sure. Causation? About as certain as Half-Life 3.
As a gamer, I want to believe. As a cynical doctor, I diagnose this theory with advanced speculation syndrome. Prognosis: probable disappointment with mild outbreaks of day-one bugs.
Ashes of the Singularity 2: The RTS Patient Wakes Up
In genuinely good news, Ashes of the Singularity is getting a sequel – and if you’ve got a PC that can run it, congratulations. My own rig would probably catch fire trying. The new game will feature a human faction and promises more of the massive army battles RTS fans crave. It’s the kind of comeback that reminds me of reviving an MMO healer after a full team wipe – against all odds, it’s still alive and ready to heal the genre’s wounds.
Switch 2 Teasers and Joy-Con Gymnastics
Nintendo’s prepping Drag x Drive: Global Jam for an August 14 launch, but there’s a free online playtest before that. The selling point? New Joy-Con “mouse controls” to spin your wheels. It’s a party trick of a mechanic – impressive the first three times, before you realize it’s just the gaming equivalent of a fidget spinner.
Final Diagnosis
This batch of news is like a loot box with wildly inconsistent rewards. Tencent’s IP heist is peak corporate arrogance. Sony’s PS6 pitch feels like they’re trying to sell you no-console gaming while still making consoles. The Silksong theory is gamer conspiracy fun, but probably wishful thinking. Ashes of the Singularity 2 is a bright spot in an otherwise murky field, and Nintendo’s demo is harmless, if gimmicky fun.
Overall? A mixed bag. Not terrible, but far from inspiring. Like being promised a legendary drop and getting a purple you can’t even equip.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is entirely my opinion.
Article source: Tencent’s Horizon Zero Dawn Knockoff Quietly Scrubs Steam Page Following Sony Lawsuit, https://kotaku.com/horizon-zero-dawn-tencent-sony-lawsuit-knockoff-steam-art-2000616608
