Sony called Light of Motiram a Horizon clone, Tencent disagrees
By ForGeeks
Tencent has responded to Sony’s lawsuit for allegedly copying the Horizon series, saying its action game Light of Motiram uses “long-established elements of the genre”.
Basis of the dispute
In July, Sony filed a lawsuit against Tencent, claiming that Light of Motiram is a “clone” of Horizon due to the heroine’s similarities to red hair, post-apocalyptic setting, and robotic enemies.
In its motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Tencent said Sony is “attempting to gain an impermissible monopoly on genre conventions” and that claims of Horizon’s complete originality are “astonishing.”
“Sony’s lawsuit is not about piracy, plagiarism, or a genuine threat to intellectual property. It is an attempt to fence off popular cultural elements and declare them to be the exclusive property of Sony,” the document said.
Tencent’s counterarguments
The company emphasized that Guerrilla Games itself has previously acknowledged the borrowings. Tencent cited an interview with art director Jan-Bart Van Beek, where he noted Horizon’s similarities to Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (2013).
Tencent says Sony is ignoring numerous examples of games using similar elements: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Far Cry: Primal, Far Cry: New Dawn, Outer Wilds, Biomutant and more.
The company also rejected accusations that a meeting at GDC 2024 about a possible Horizon game for mobile platforms was relevant to the lawsuit, saying that developers of Light of Motiram were not present.
Jurisdiction question
Tencent alleges that Sony has asserted claims against the wrong legal entities. The lawsuit names Tencent America, Proxima Beta U.S. and Tencent Holdings, but Light of Motiram is being developed by Polaris Quest / Aurora Studios (a division of Tencent Technology in Shanghai) and Proxima Beta PTE Ltd (Singapore).
“None of the defendant companies develops or manufactures Light of Motiram,” Tencent said, clarifying that Tencent Holdings is only the parent entity.
In addition, Light of Motiram is not scheduled for release until late 2027, and therefore the lawsuit is based on speculation about “what the game may turn out to be.”
And the lawsuit is based on speculation about “what the game may turn out to be.
Background
After Sony’s lawsuit was filed, the Light of Motiram page on Steam was quietly updated with a changed description and key artwork.
