Sony is suing Chinese tech giant Tencent for allegedly copying its popular Horizon game franchise. As first reported by Reuters, the lawsuit claims Tencent’s upcoming title, Light of Motiram, is a “slavish clone” of Sony’s games, from the basic premise to the visual design. Tencent announced Light of Motiram, an open-world hunting game, in November 2024.
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The lawsuit details numerous ways Tencent’s game appears to unlawfully copy memorable aspects of Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, and the recently announced Lego Horizon Adventures. According to Sony, the similarities include:
- The setting: A post-apocalyptic world where human tribes coexist with advanced machines.
- Character design: The visual appearance of Light of Motiram’s characters.
- Online presentation: How Sony’s franchise is marketed and presented online.
The most damaging part of Sony’s claim is that Tencent tried to license the Horizon intellectual property (IP) before announcing its new game. Sony states that Tencent proposed a collaboration to create a mobile Horizon game that would incorporate “Eastern aesthetics” and elements like “survival and crafting, pet taming, [and multiplayer game modes].
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After Sony rejected this offer, Tencent announced Light of Motiram, a game that, according to the lawsuit, features many of the same mechanics Tencent had pitched, alongside visual elements highly recognizable from the Horizon franchise.
Sony is now seeking an injunction to stop the development and release of Light of Motiram, in addition to monetary damages and the destruction of all related materials. Tencent has yet to formally respond to the lawsuit, but a defence against these claims may prove challenging.
