Tencent’s Horizon Zero Dawn Look-alike Taken to Court by Sony
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Tencent’s Horizon Zero Dawn Look-alike Taken to Court by Sony
Sony Interactive Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against Tencent for copyright and trademark infringement. SIE is accusing Tencent of ripping off its popular and award-winning Horizon PS4 and PS5 games. Tencent’s upcoming game, Light of Motiram, is a “slavish clone” of its Horizon games, with similar gameplay, story, art direction, and more. From the gameplay, it doesn’t look like a direct copy, but the comparisons of its art direction and story vibes are undeniable.
Tencent’s Light of Motiram is a “slavish clone” of Horizon, says Sony
According to Reuters, SIE claims in the lawsuit that Tencent’s upcoming game, Light of Motiram, is a “slavish clone” of its Horizon games, with similar gameplay, story, art direction, and more. It also stated that SIE turned down an offer from Tencent to collaborate on a new game in the PlayStation franchise, in which the company later revealed its look-alike.
SIE is asking for an order to block Tencent from violating its intellectual property rights, as well as an unspecified amount of monetary damages.
Developers take inspiration from other games all the time. However, Light of Motiram’s key art looks like a blatant rip-off of Horizon: Zero Dawn, down to the red-haired protagonist. From the gameplay, it doesn’t look like a direct copy, but the comparisons of its art direction and story vibes are undeniable. You can check it out above, and draw your own conclusions.
Horizon: Zero Dawn was originally released for the PS4 back in 2017, which also received DLC in the form of The Frozen Wilds. The sequel, Horizon: Forbidden West, was released for the PS4 and PS5 in 2022, which also received DLC with Burning Shores. In 2023, a VR spin-off called Horizon: Call of the Mountain was released for the PS VR2. Last year, Lego Horizon Adventures was released, which retold the events of the first game in Lego form.
Although it has been less than a decade since its original release, a remaster of Horizon: Zero Dawn was released last year.
In terms of Horizon’s future, the status of its supposed NCSoft-developed MMO is up in the air. It was reported earlier this year that the project was canceled. However, the reporter who originally reported on the developer’s cancellations confirmed their story was not related to the Sony franchise.
Sony sues Tencent, accuses Light of Motiram of being a shameless Horizon clone
Sony claims Tencent’s upcoming Light of Motiram is a shameless copy of its Horizon series. The company has taken Tencent to court in California, accusing them of copyright and trademark infringement. Sony is demanding financial compensation, and is also asking the court to ban Tencent from working on the title.
The war drums are pounding inside Sony HQ, as the company has now taken Chinese gaming titan Tencent to court in California. The reason? Sony claims the upcoming Light of Motiram is a shameless copy of its own Horizon series, and when looking at screenshots of Tencent’s game, it’s hard not to see the resemblance.
Light of Motiram was unveiled last year and immediately sparked controversy, with many fans pointing out how closely it mirrored Horizon Zero Dawn. Now Sony has confirmed it’s taking legal action, accusing Tencent of both copyright and trademark infringement.
One particularly interesting detail has also emerged: according to Sony, Tencent allegedly approached them last year with a proposal to collaborate on a new Horizon title. Sony declined. Shortly after, Tencent continued the project independently, resulting in Light of Motiram, which Sony now says borrows heavily from Horizon’s gameplay, visual style, and core themes.
Sony is demanding financial compensation, though the exact figure remains undisclosed, and is also asking the court to ban Tencent from working on the title altogether.
What do you think, shameless clone or just heavy inspiration?
Sony Suing Tencent Over Upcoming Game It Calls A ‘Slavish Clone’ Of Horizon: Zero Dawn
Sony is suing Tencent for copyright and trademark infringement over 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. Sony is asking the court in California for an unspecified amount of money and an order blocking Tencent from violating its IP rights.
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.
This a screenshot from Light of Motiram, not Horizon: Zero Dawn.
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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Source: https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2025/07/28/tencent-sony-lawsuit-horizon-july-2025/