Sony has filed a major lawsuit against Tencent, accusing the Chinese tech giant of copyright and trademark infringement over its upcoming game, Light of Motiram, which Sony claims is a near-exact copy of its acclaimed Horizon franchise. The suit, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, targets both the game’s development content and its marketing approach, which Sony describes as a “slavish clone” of titles like Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, and Lego Horizon Adventures.
According to Sony, the similarities between Light of Motiram and Horizon are extensive—ranging from the post-apocalyptic world where tribes coexist with machines, down to visual details in characters, art style, gameplay mechanics, and narrative themes. Sony claims that the resemblance is so specific that it “can only result from intentional copying,” and argues the new game’s similarity could confuse consumers into thinking it’s an official Horizon spin-off or sequel.
The story took a notable turn when Sony revealed that Tencent previously approached the company, seeking a licensing deal to develop a Horizon game with “Eastern aesthetics” and features like survival, crafting, pet taming, and multiplayer modes. Sony declined, but Tencent moved forward, soon after announcing and promoting Light of Motiram—a game that, Sony alleges, contains many elements directly lifted from its rejected pitch.
Sony’s demands in court are sweeping. The PlayStation owner seeks:
- An immediate and permanent injunction to block Tencent from distributing or developing Light of Motiram.
- Statutory damages up to $150,000 for each individual Horizon work infringed.
- The full destruction of “all infringing materials related to Light of Motiram.”
Legal filings further cite that Tencent began Light of Motiram’s development in 2023 and continued despite multiple refusals from Sony to license the Horizon IP. Sony claims that, upon being rebuffed, Tencent first attempted further negotiations and then proceeded with expansion and promotional playtests for the new game.
The case highlights ongoing tensions in global gaming over intellectual property protections and the challenges posed by “lookalike” or derivative projects. As the suit progresses, industry watchers see this as a precedent-setting battle that may influence future disputes in gaming IP on an international scale.
As of now, Tencent and the developers behind Light of Motiram have yet to respond publicly to Sony’s accusations or to the lawsuit itself.