Sony Interactive Entertainment filed suit against Chinese tech titan Tencent Holdings on July 25 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging that Tencent’s upcoming title, Light of Motiram, is nothing more than a “slavish clone” of Sony’s acclaimed Horizon franchise—Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West—and is designed to confuse consumers into thinking it’s the next official entry in the series. In its complaint, Sony seeks to halt the game’s release and pursue statutory damages of $150,000 for each infringed work or actual damages suffered, alongside other monetary relief and an injunction against further infringement.

The Horizon series, developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony since 2017, follows Aloy, a red‑headed hunter in a post‑apocalyptic world ruled by towering, animal‑like machines. Its lush, overgrown environments and unique tribes have earned widespread acclaim, making Aloy one of PlayStation’s most iconic protagonists. According to Sony’s suit, Tencent essentially mimicked this blueprint: from tribal backdrops to mechanized wildlife, down to the narrative focus on human survival amid technological ruin.

At the heart of the dispute is the allegation that nearly every distinctive element of Horizon was lifted. Sony points to colossal machines, spear‑and‑bow combat, tribal motifs and even graphical flourishes like red grasses and rock formations that mirror its own trademarked designs. Plaintiffs note that gaming forums and media outlets have already derided Light of Motiram as “Horizon Zero Originality,” underlining just how overt the similarities appear.

Sony further alleges that the trouble began in 2024, when Tencent’s Aurora Studios division pitched a licensed mobile spinoff of Horizon—complete with proposed Eastern aesthetics and multiplayer features—which Sony declined to greenlight. Undeterred by this rejection, Tencent is accused of secretly carrying on development under different studio names, including Polaris Quest, before publicly unveiling Light of Motiram in late 2024.

In its marketing blitz, Tencent reportedly leaned heavily on Aloy’s likeness—right down to costume and helmet design—and even adopted a font style reminiscent of Horizon’s title treatment. Sony claims this pre‑release strategy was intended to trick players into believing Light of Motiram was the next mainline installment, a tactic described in the suit as “crazy,” “insane” and “shameless” by the gaming community.

Light of Motiram, as promoted on Tencent’s own Steam and Epic Games Store pages, promises an open world where players “explore the vast landscape, build your base of operations, advance technology, train Mechanimals, and take on formidable bosses,” with a thematic nod to advancing from a primitive age into mechanized survival. Swap out “Motiram” for Horizon’s “Old Ones,” Sony contends, and the description reads like a direct lift.

The lawsuit demands statutory damages of $150,000 per infringed work in the Horizon franchise—or, alternatively, Sony’s actual damages—as well as an injunction to keep Light of Motiram off shelves and online storefronts until the case is resolved.

Representing Sony are attorneys Annette Hurst, Diana Rutowski and Laura Wytsma of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe; Tencent’s legal counsel has yet to be disclosed. This case adds to a growing wave of litigation over game similarities—most recently exemplified by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s suit against Palworld developer Pocketpair—highlighting an industry increasingly protective of its creative blueprints.

Should Sony prevail, an injunction could compel platforms like Steam, PlayStation Store and Xbox Marketplace to delist Light of Motiram in the U.S., though enforcement abroad remains uncertain. Legal experts caution that even a U.S. ruling may not prevent sales in regions beyond American jurisdiction, prompting questions about how global IP enforcement will adapt to a digital age of cross‑border distribution.

With no release date announced for Light of Motiram—and Tencent yet to publicly address the allegations—the gaming community now watches to see if Sony can enforce its claims and safeguard the originality of Aloy’s world. The next steps hinge on preliminary injunction motions expected later this year, setting the stage for what could be one of the most closely watched intellectual property battles in modern gaming.

Source: Reuters