Remember Light of Motiram, that Tencent game that was announced in late 2024 that looked a lot like Horizon: Zero Dawn? Well, Sony Interactive is suing the massive video game publisher and developer for copyright and trademark infringement over that very game, seemingly agreeing with many online who called it a shameless clone of its own popular post-apocalyptic series.
As reported by Reuters on July 28, Sony filed a lawsuit last week against Tencent regarding its upcoming video game, Light of Motiram. In the lawsuit, which was filed in California federal court on July 25, Sony lawyers called the game a “slavish clone” of its popular Horizon post-apocalyptic open-world video game franchise and alleged it copies elements directly from the series. Sony claims Light of Motiram could cause confusion among gamers looking to buy a Horizon game.
Neither Sony nor Tencent provided comments to Reuters. Kotaku has contacted Sony for additional information.
When Tencent’s Light of Motiram was revealed in November 2024, many fans and journalists, including Kotaku’s own John Walker, spotted numerous similarities between the upcoming game and Horizon. Both seem to feature robotic dinosaur-like creatures and a lush jungle world filled with sci-fi ruins, and both star a woman with red hair who uses a bow.
Reuters reports that in Sony’s lawsuit, the company claims that it declined an offer from Tencent to collaborate on a new entry in the Horizon franchise. Then, later that same year, Tencent announced Light of Motiram, which Sony alleges is copying gameplay, story, and artistic elements featured in the Horizon series. Sony also quoted at least one journalist who called it “Horizon Zero Originality.” Zing!
Sony is asking the court in California for an unspecified amount of money and an order blocking Tencent from violating its IP rights.
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