Sony Interactive Entertainment has launched a bold lawsuit against Tencent, accusing the Chinese tech giant of creating a blatant copy of its critically acclaimed Horizon series with their upcoming game, Light of Motiram. Filed on July 25, 2025, in a California federal court, the suit claims that Tencent’s game is a “slavish clone” of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West, sparking heated discussions across the gaming community. Here’s everything you need to know about this high-stakes legal battle and its implications.
Why Sony Is Suing Tencent
Sony’s lawsuit pulls no punches, alleging that Light of Motiram copies key elements of the Horizon franchise, from its post-apocalyptic world to its iconic protagonist. Here are some outlined themes that are nearly “copy and pasted”.
- Near-Identical Setting and Themes: Both Horizon and Light of Motiram are set in lush, post-apocalyptic worlds where humanity lives in tribal societies, battling massive robotic creatures. Sony argues that Light of Motiram’s environments—think tropical forests, deserts, and snowy peaks—mirror Horizon’s landscapes too closely to be coincidental.
- Aloy Lookalike: The lawsuit highlights Light of Motiram’s protagonist, a female character whose tribal attire and combat style bear a strong resemblance to Horizon’s Aloy. Sony claims Tencent used this character in marketing to deliberately confuse gamers into thinking Light of Motiram is a Horizon sequel or spin-off.
- Creature Design and Gameplay Mechanics: Sony points out that Light of Motiram’s “Mechanimals” are suspiciously similar to Horizon’s robotic beasts, down to their designs and behaviors. The gameplay, including taming mechanics, also echoes Horizon’s override system, according to the complaint.
- Marketing Mimicry: From color palettes to fonts and even music, Sony alleges that Light of Motiram’s promotional materials copy Horizon’s aesthetic. The lawsuit cites a composer from Horizon Forbidden West being hired to replicate its distinctive sound for Tencent’s game.
Final Thoughts
When Light of Motiram first came out, a lot of people were saying what they said about Palworld with Pokemon and that it had copy and pasted at times. Well, now we officially have legal action being taken by Sony so fans of Light of Mtiram, might end up having to only play Horizon in the near feature.
