Lawsuit Years in the Making
On July 29, 2025, Sony sues Tencent over Horizon in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, claiming the Chinese tech giant’s still-unreleased title Light of Motiram is a “slavish clone” of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) alleges that after Tencent failed to secure a licensing deal for an official Horizon game in 2024, it pushed ahead with a near-identical open-world experience—right down to a red-haired warrior protagonist, robo-fauna, and post-apocalyptic landscapes awash in rusty oranges and turquoise skies.
What Sony Wants
Sony sues Tencent over Horizon seeking three core remedies:
- Statutory damages up to $150,000 per infringed work, covering both flagship Horizon titles and associated DLC.
- A permanent injunction blocking Tencent from releasing, marketing, or even showing Light of Motiram in any form.
- Court-ordered destruction of all infringing code, promotional assets, and merchandise.
If the court grants Sony’s request, Tencent could lose years of development effort and millions in production costs.
The Smoking Guns Listed in Sony’s Complaint
Sony’s 42-page filing lays out side-by-side comparisons that read like a developer’s spot-the-difference puzzle:
- Character overlap: A flame-haired female hunter clad in tribal tech armor, wielding a collapsible bow capable of hacking mechanized beasts.
- Enemy archetypes: Metallic raptor-like machines, tusked mammoths, and serpent-shaped drones roaming verdant ruins.
- UI & HUD similarity: Identical compass bar, health icons, and slow-motion “focus” mechanic for critical shots.
- Marketing confusion: Social chatter showing gamers mistaking Light of Motiram for an official Horizon spin-off.
In Sony’s words, “Consumers aren’t merely confused—they are deceived.” Little wonder the headline “Sony sues Tencent over Horizon” is trending across Reddit, ResetEra, and X/Twitter gaming circles.
H2: Tencent’s Position—Radio Silence So Far
Tencent has not filed an answer, but insiders whisper two possible defenses:
- Independent creation—arguing that similarities arise from shared genre conventions, not copying.
- Fair-use homage—a long-shot claim given the visual overlap.
Either way, the stakes are enormous. Light of Motiram already has wishlists on Steam, and Tencent’s domestic pre-registrations eclipsed five million users. With Sony sues Tencent over Horizon splashed across global media, release plans could be frozen for months.
Industry Implications — When Inspiration Becomes Infringement
The case could redefine how far developers can push “inspired-by” designs before the law says stop. If courts side with Sony, publishers may:
- Invest more in original IP rather than derivative open-world formulas.
- Conduct earlier legal audits for character and environment design.
- Negotiate licensing instead of risking multi-million-dollar takedowns.
Conversely, a Tencent win might embolden studios to ride close to the line—as long as gameplay isn’t a frame-for-frame copy.
A Tale of Two Business Models
Horizon is a crown jewel in Sony’s first-party strategy: single-purchase AAA epics driving console sales. Tencent, by contrast, favors free-to-play cross-platform worlds monetized through skins and battle passes. Observers say the dispute is as much about creative integrity as it is about clashing profit models. With Sony sues Tencent over Horizon dominating headlines, investors will watch which vision courts protect.
What Happens Next?
- Early Fall 2025: Tencent must respond to Sony’s complaint. Settlement talks often emerge here; Sony could drop the suit if Tencent shelves or radically reworks Light of Motiram.
- Winter 2025: If no deal, discovery begins. Expect depositions of artists, writers, and engine programmers from both camps.
- Summer 2026 Trial Window: A jury would view side-by-side art, animations, and code snippets. If jurors are gamers—or guided by passionate expert witnesses—verdict volatility skyrockets.
Until then, Light of Motiram’s future is in limbo and the phrase Sony sues Tencent over Horizon will remain shorthand for the entertainment industry’s biggest copyright showdown since Fortnite faced dance-move litigation.
