Kinda Funny Games Daily 12.18.25 – Sony’s Battle Against Tencent’s Horizon Clone Is Over

Date: December 19, 2025
Hosts: Greg Miller, Tim Gettys, Roger Clark, Mike Mahardy
Guests: Jack Pattillo
Theme: Daily rundown of the hottest news in video games, with engaging panel discussion, industry insights, and plenty of the trademark Kinda Funny banter.

Overview

This episode dives into the resolution of Sony’s high-profile lawsuit with Tencent over the Horizon clone “Light of Motiram,” explores the shifting tides at studios preparing blockbuster games (and why some shakeups don’t always mean disaster), plus the future of the Fallout series as inspired by the hit TV show. The hosts reflect on the expansions and challenges of the industry, both creatively and legally, with their usual blend of humor and candor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sony vs. Tencent: The Horizon Clone Lawsuit Ends

[13:55 - 18:42]

• Settlement Details: Sony and Tencent have reached a confidential settlement in their legal dispute over “Light of Motiram,” a game accused of being a "slavish clone" of Sony’s Horizon series. The game has been delisted from Steam and Epic at the same time as the settlement announcement.
  • Greg Miller: “The lawsuit will be dismissed with prejudice, which means the case will be closed and cannot be brought back to court later… [the game] has also been delisted from Steam and Epic Games Store.”
• Speculation on the Game’s Fate:
  • Roger Clark: “They got to be making a lot of changes to that game, huh?”
  • Greg Miller: “Or does Sony just go, you've come this far, fine, fuck it, give us 90% of the profits…?”
• Broader Impact:
  • Sony is rigorously defending Horizon as it branches into more formats (MMO, multiplayer, LEGO spin-offs).
  • Roger Clark: “PlayStation can’t afford to tell their diehard fans that they’re canceling yet another first party game…”
  • Greg Miller: “Can Sony tell their diehard fans they’re making another game they don’t want?”

2. Horizon Franchise: Is a Multiplayer Future Still Happening?

[16:09 - 18:00]

• Multiplayer Rumors: Amid talk of the lawsuit, the hosts discuss the planned Horizon multiplayer game from Guerrilla Games: can it survive amidst PlayStation’s shifting strategy on live service titles?
  • Roger Clark: “I do think that game comes out. The Horizon franchise… have the legs?”
  • Greg Miller: “PlayStation has taken so many licks right now just trying to get any live service product out.”

3. Exodus Studio Shake-Up: What Does It Mean For The Game?

[18:49 - 24:20]

• Leadership Change: James Olen steps down as head of Archetype Entertainment (working on Exodus), citing that his work is “complete.”
  • Greg Miller: “It’s more interesting to see Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro being bullish on games… Hasbro’s a forward-thinking company on how to get toys out there.”
• Exodus’s Appeal (or Lack Thereof):
  • Skepticism abounds concerning its generic initial trailer and whether it will inspire excitement amidst Mass Effect comparisons.
  • Greg Miller: “Every time we talk about it, I want to be so excited for it. But then I look at the trailer and I'm like, let's temper my expectations…”
  • Mike Mahardy: “Matthew McConaughey's real voice, not AI!” (22:23)
• Owlcat’s Expanse Game Sparks More Interest:
  • Compared to Exodus, Owlcat’s upcoming Expanse action RPG feels fresh, with clear narrative hooks.

4. Todd Howard on Fallout 5 and the TV Show’s Impact

[39:57 - 46:26]

• Canonization of the TV Show:
  • Fallout 5 will exist in a world where the events of the show happened or are happening, with Bethesda planning to incorporate the show as canon for future games.
  • Greg Miller: “I think it's still a huge missed opportunity not to have a brand new Fallout game out right now or a remaster of New Vegas… what are you doing, Xbox?”
  • Roger Clark: “We're kind of living in the best timeline when it comes to that—being able to talk to, you know, family members about Fallout lore is… so cool now.”
• Obsidian’s Place in Fallout’s Future:
  • The hosts discuss whether Obsidian could, or would want to, take on another Fallout project, noting their flexibility and creative success with New Vegas.

5. Silent Hill F and the Global Future of Silent Hill

[48:40 - 51:52]

• Localization and Cultural Authenticity:
  • Silent Hill producer Okamoto suggests future entries could explore local folklore around the world—if authentic local teams are available.
  • Roger Clark: “Their thought process is, hey, let's give it to a team that's local in these places. That is the way to go about this. Because Silent Hill F is so successful because it is made by a team in Japan… that shows throughout the entirety of that game.”

6. Interview: Jack Pattillo on The Last Caretaker

[52:19 - 58:33]

• Game Overview:
  • Jack shares details on “The Last Caretaker,” a survival crafting game developed by a small, responsive team, with robust community involvement and early access growth.
  • New features include vehicles, physics-based building, and continued quality-of-life improvements.
  • Jack Pattillo: “It's been so cool to see it kind of pick up and run with it. And I really, really love watching the community do stuff...our Discord server is full of great people…”
• Cross-Media Experience:
  • Jack reflects on the differences between streaming, content creation, and direct community work with a dev team.
  • Major update hits Steam Winter Sale; plans for full release on consoles next year.

7. Required Viewing: People Make Games’ Xbox Boycott Report

[59:14 - 62:09]

• Video Recommendation:
  • The hosts highlight a People Make Games video on the Palestinian-led Xbox boycott and its industry impact, hailing it as “great journalism.”
  • Greg Miller: “There is no BDS purity. This is about doing what you can when you can. That is such a great way to put it.”
  • Roger Clark: “People Make Games is one of the best YouTube channels out there if you love video games. They've done amazing investigative journalism...”

8. News Quick Hits: Wii News

[62:43 - 66:14]

(Short headlines and micro-updates on the industry)

• Netflix Gets FIFA Game: FIFA simulation game coming exclusively to Netflix games, developed by Delphi Interactive.
  • Greg Miller: “Just in time for FIFA World Cup 2026.”
• The Division arrives on PS5 at 60fps.
• Ark 2 now planned for 2027 (!) with a major update for Ark: Survival Ascended coming near the end of 2027.
• No Rest for the Wicked’s Together Co-op play update in Early Access coming January 22, 2026.
• Nintendo wins 15-year legal battle over Wii Remote patents.
• Horses, the game banned on digital stores, manages to sell 18,000 copies post-ban.
• Quirky Game Reveal: “Obey the Insect God” channels 90s digitized fighter game aesthetics with weird, Mortal Kombat-like mayhem.

9. Audience Q&A and Commentary

[66:14 - End]

• Game Awards Voting Transparency: The team will share their internal Game of the Year discussions but not the actual voting breakdown out of respect for Game Awards process.
• AI in Game Dev Debate: Nuanced discussion on the ethics and practicality of generative AI vs developing original skills, including viable alternatives for solo creators.
  • Roger Clark: “As a single game developer… you’re not actually learning anything… the core of video game development should not be just ‘fart game out, make money.’”
• Audience Congratulations: Shoutouts to chat members achieving awards and milestones.
• Breaking News: Trombone Champ DLC adds songs from Undertale and Deltarune.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Podcast Ad Skipping:
  • Greg Miller [04:35]: “As always, if you didn’t know the kind of funny policy is: the audience is always wrong. So I'm just letting you know.”
• On Horizon Clone Lawsuit
  • Greg Miller [13:55]: “Sony and Tencent have now jointly asked the court to dismiss the case after a confidential settlement was agreed… suggesting Tencent could be making changes to the game.”
• On Fallout’s Future:
  • Roger Clark [40:07]: “I love just saying that they're equal fans of the world because, like, my mom who watches Last of Us—I feel the same way about her and me when I played Last of Us the video game. Like, that's such a cool bridging of gaps.”
• On Obsidian Doing More Fallout:
  • Greg Miller [43:46]: “If I was at Obsidian, I'd say, fuck, yes. Because what do you want? You want guaranteed jobs. Fallout—‘we’re making a new Fallout’ is a guaranteed ‘we get to finish this game.’”
• On Localized Silent Hill:
  • Roger Clark [50:01]: “I like that their thought process is, hey, let's give it to a team that's local in these places. That is the way to go… because Silent Hill F is so successful because it is made by a team in Japan… that shows throughout the entirety of that game.”

Timestamps – Key Segments

• [13:55] - Main Topic: Sony Settles Horizon Clone Lawsuit with Tencent
• [16:09] - The Future of Horizon Multiplayer
• [18:49] - Exodus Studio Leadership Change and Mass Effect Comparisons
• [39:57] - Fallout 5’s Canon and the TV Show’s Influence
• [48:40] - Expanding Silent Hill via Local Culture
• [52:19] - Indie Interview: Jack Pattillo on The Last Caretaker
• [59:14] - Required Viewing: Xbox Boycott Report
• [62:43] - Wii News Lightning Round (Industry Headlines)
• [66:14] - Audience Q&A, AI Debate, and Superchats

Tone and Style

Kinda Funny brings trademark warmth, humor, and irreverence, mixing deep industry knowledge with playful audience jabs and personal asides. Genuine, often self-deprecating, the hosts don’t shy from editorializing or calling out the oddities, missteps, and complexities of the modern games industry.

Final Takeaway

A robust episode capturing the end-of-year mood in gaming: legal drama resolved, shifting studio landscapes, and open speculation about what the next generation of big franchises will look like. As always, Kinda Funny keeps it lively, insightful, and interactive — classic “games industry talk show while hanging out with friends” energy.

Catch up on the next episode for more news breakdowns, industry interviews, and off-the-wall gaming discussions from the Kinda Funny crew.