Key Takeaways
1. Lawsuit Initiation: Sony Interactive Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against Tencent, claiming that their game Light of Motiram is a “slavish clone” of the Horizon series.
2. Allegations of Similarities: The lawsuit states that Light of Motiram shares gameplay mechanics, visual style, and storyline elements with Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.
3. Damages Sought: Sony is seeking up to $150,000 in damages for each instance of copyright infringement and wants a court order to prevent the game’s release.
4. Changes by Tencent: In response to the lawsuit and public criticism, Tencent has updated the game’s presentation, altering descriptions and artwork to reduce similarities to the Horizon franchise.
5. Release Date Uncertainty: The release timeframe for Light of Motiram has changed from Q4 2027 to “To Be Announced” following legal actions and public backlash.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has initiated legal action against Tencent, claiming that there are significant similarities between Light of Motiram and Sony’s Horizon series. In light of this upcoming lawsuit, Tencent has quickly altered how the game is presented to the public.
Lawsuit Details
As reported by The Game Post, the lawsuit was submitted to the California Federal Court on July 25, 2025. Sony alleges that Tencent and the Polaris Quest studio’s Light of Motiram is a “slavish clone” of both Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West. The complaint states that the game shares the same gameplay mechanics, visual style, and storyline elements as the Horizon franchise.
Sony is seeking damages of up to $150,000 for each instance of copyright infringement, as well as a court order to stop the game from being released. Additionally, it was mentioned that Tencent had approached Sony during the 2024 Game Developers Conference to work together on a mobile game based on Horizon, which Sony turned down.
Tencent’s Response
Although Tencent has not publicly addressed the lawsuit, the company appears to be taking steps to reduce legal complications.
In November 2024, Tencent unveiled Light of Motiram, which quickly drew heavy criticism from the gaming community and media for its striking similarities to Sony’s franchise, including the red-haired main character, mechanical creatures, and a post-apocalyptic tribal setting. Fans on social media humorously referred to it as “Horizon Zero Originality,” with others remarking it resembled a “copy-paste job.”
Changes to the Game
Following the public outcry and Sony’s legal actions, Tencent updated the game’s Steam Page on August 7, 2025. The initial description closely mirrored themes from Horizon. Phrases like “colossal machines” and “mechanimals” have been substituted with a more generic survival-themed description:
“Make smart use of everything around you to stay alive and face off against formidable bosses. Every step is fraught with danger and requires courage. Only by overcoming these challenges of survival can you carve out a place for yourself in this unforgiving land.”
Moreover, the artwork has also been changed. Earlier images featuring the red-haired protagonist, reminiscent of Horizon’s Aloy, have been replaced with a penguin-like creature and a dog. Screenshots depicting mechanical beasts and tribal settings have been swapped out for more generic open-world visuals.
SteamDB records indicate that several videos from the Steam Store Page have been removed, along with a trailer on YouTube. The game had previously announced a release timeframe of Q4 2027, but this has now been changed to “To Be Announced.”
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