In a dramatic escalation of gaming industry tensions, Sony Interactive Entertainment has sued Chinese tech giant Tencent, accusing it of creating a "blatant and slavish clone" of its critically acclaimed Horizon series. The lawsuit, filed in a U.S. federal court, claims Tencent’s recently released game Light of Motiram copies everything from character designs to robotic creature mechanics from Sony’s Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.
- According to legal documents, Sony alleges Tencent "systematically replicated" key elements of the Horizon franchise, including:
- The protagonist’s appearance, gear, and motion-capture animations.
- Designs of dinosaur-inspired robotic creatures with identical weak points and attack patterns.
- The open-world structure, skill trees, and even specific quest mechanics.
- Sony’s filing includes side-by-side screenshots and gameplay videos highlighting what it calls "unmistakable similarities."
The Reuters report details Sony’s demand for a permanent injunction against Light of Motiram and "substantial" monetary damages, citing copyright infringement, unfair competition, and violation of trade dress protections. Tencent, which released the game globally in June 2025, has yet to issue a formal statement.
Fan Outrage and Memes Flood Reddit
The gaming community erupted after the lawsuit’s announcement, with Reddit users dissecting alleged parallels. On r/videogames, a viral thread titled "Tencent’s Light of Motiram is such a Horizon Zero Dawn clone, it hurts" gained over 15,000 upvotes. Users posted comparisons, such as:
"The 'Charger' robot in Motiram has the same horn weak spot as Horizon’s Watchers. It’s not inspiration—it’s Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V."
Others criticized Tencent’s history of cloning successful franchises, though some defended the game as "generic open-world tropes."
Broader Implications
This lawsuit arrives amid fierce debate over intellectual property in gaming. Sony’s Horizon franchise has sold over 32 million copies, making it one of PlayStation’s flagship properties. Tencent, meanwhile, faces growing scrutiny over its aggressive expansion into AAA gaming. Legal experts suggest the case could set a precedent for how courts handle "aesthetic plagiarism" in open-world games.
Sony’s move signals zero tolerance for imitation, but Tencent’s vast resources promise a grueling legal battle. For now, Light of Motiram remains available on Steam and consoles—though its future hangs in the balance.
Update: Tencent declined to comment when reached by press time.
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