“Sony Sues Tencent Over ‘Light of Motiram,’ Horizon Rip-Off”
Written by Kitai - Twitter/X
Sony Sues Tencent Over ‘Light of Motiram,’ Accusing It of Copying Horizon
Sony Interactive Entertainment has taken legal action against Tencent, claiming the company’s upcoming title Light of Motiram heavily imitates its acclaimed Horizon franchise. Filed on July 25, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the lawsuit alleges the game is a “slavish clone,” echoing Horizon’s art style, character archetypes, and robotic wildlife.
Court documents state that Tencent’s Aurora Studios had pitched a Horizon-inspired collaboration to Sony in 2024, which the publisher rejected. Sony now contends that Light of Motiram was produced afterward with nearly identical elements: a red-haired heroine, tribal settings, and mechanical creatures reminiscent of Horizon’s hallmark designs.
Sony is requesting $150,000 in statutory damages for each infringed work and is pushing for an injunction to prevent the game’s launch in Western territories. If approved, the order could keep the title off major platforms including PlayStation, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.
Online, many players have already noticed the similarities, with some jokingly dubbing Tencent’s effort “Horizon Zero Originality.” Industry analysts suggest the outcome of this case could set a precedent for how global publishers tackle alleged game cloning in the future.
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