Sony Files Preliminary Injunction Against Tencent’s ‘Light of Motiram’ – A Horizon ‘Slavish Clone’ Copyright Battle Escalates

Sony Escalates Legal Fight: Seeks Court Order to Halt Promotion of Tencent’s Alleged Horizon Knockoff

SAN FRANCISCO – The high-stakes legal confrontation between gaming titans Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and Tencent Holdings has reached a critical juncture. Sony has recently filed a motion for a Preliminary Injunction against Tencent’s upcoming open-world survival game, Light of Motiram, which the Japanese publisher alleges is a “slavish clone” of its highly successful AAA franchise, Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West. This move signifies Sony’s determination to secure immediate legal intervention to prevent what it describes as irreparable harm to its valuable Intellectual Property (IP).

The motion, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks to bar Tencent and its associated development studio, Polaris Quest, from continuing to promote, market, or release Light of Motiram in its current state. Sony argues that the game’s core elements—including its visual design, central character, and narrative themes—constitute blatant Copyright Infringement, creating consumer confusion and undermining the future success of the Horizon series.

The Core of the Copyright Infringement Claim

The Video Game Lawsuit initially filed in July 2025 outlined numerous similarities between the two titles. Key points of contention include:

• The protagonist: Sony is specifically targeting the use of a “fierce tribal warrior huntress characterized by fiery red hair” that it claims is an unmistakable copy of Horizon’s main character, Aloy, a key icon for the PlayStation brand.
• The World and Creatures: Both games feature a post-apocalyptic world where tribal societies coexist with large, mechanical animal-like creatures.
• The Aesthetic and Music: Allegations extend to similar visual aesthetics, including the blend of primitive technology and advanced robotics, as well as a melody in Light of Motiram’s promotional material that allegedly copies two compositions from the Horizon Zero Dawn Original Soundtrack.

Sony’s court documents re-emphasize that the pervasive copying was so evident that “numerous journalists and Horizon fans loudly decried the obvious and pervasive copying of Horizon’s protected elements” upon the announcement of Light of Motiram.

Tencent’s Defense and Sony’s Counter-Argument

Tencent, a dominant force in the Global Gaming Industry, had previously filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that the similarities were merely “well-trodden tropes” common in popular culture and that Sony was attempting to create an “impermissible monopoly on genre conventions.” The Chinese conglomerate also highlighted statements from Guerrilla Games’ developers referencing inspirations from other games, such as Ninja Theory’s Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, to suggest Horizon’s own lack of complete originality.

Sony has swiftly rejected this defense as “nonsense,” arguing that Tencent is attempting a “shell game” by trying to distance itself from its subsidiary’s actions while using the Tencent name to leverage its massive market influence. Furthermore, Sony’s recent motion reveals crucial context: according to the filing, Tencent allegedly approached Sony seeking a Licensing Agreement for a Horizon mobile game adaptation in 2024. After Sony declined the offer, Tencent allegedly proceeded to develop Light of Motiram—a move that Sony contends demonstrates a deliberate intent to infringe upon its Intellectual Property.

The Stakes: Irreparable Harm to a Multibillion-Dollar Franchise

The urgency of Sony’s motion for a Preliminary Injunction stems from the potential for “Irreparable Harm” to the Horizon franchise. Top executives from PlayStation Productions have filed sworn declarations stating that the existence and promotion of a “knock-off” title could confuse consumers, dilute the distinctiveness of the Aloy character mark, and jeopardize the brand’s ongoing expansion, which includes an announced film adaptation of Horizon Zero Dawn. Court documents revealed that the Horizon Zero Dawn film now has a working script and is expected to begin shooting in 2026, making the protection of the IP’s integrity an even higher priority.

The timing of the legal proceedings is also crucial. Although Tencent has quietly updated Light of Motiram‘s Steam page, removing key promotional images and pushing the scheduled release date back from late 2025 to late 2027, Sony insists “the damage is done, and it continues.” They argue that the initial promotion has already established the game in the minds of the public as a Horizon clone.

The court, presided over by Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, is expected to hold a hearing on the Preliminary Injunction request in November 2025. The outcome of this ruling will have significant ramifications, not only for the two companies but for the broader understanding of Copyright Infringement and IP protection within the fiercely competitive Digital Entertainment Market.