The ongoing legal dispute between Sony and Tencent over the game Light of Motiram continues to stir controversy. After Sony accused Tencent of creating a “blatant clone” of its Horizon franchise, the Chinese company responded by stating that the allegations are “astounding” and that Sony is trying to monopolize common narrative conventions in the video game industry.
Sony filed a lawsuit in July 2025, claiming that Light of Motiram bears significant similarities to Horizon, including a red-haired protagonist, mechanical creatures, and post-apocalyptic settings. The company also stated that Tencent had proposed a collaboration for a game set in the Horizon universe, a proposal that was rejected before the announcement of Light of Motiram.
In response, Tencent argued that Sony is trying to appropriate widely used narrative elements in games, such as red-haired heroes and post-apocalyptic worlds, pointing out that these elements are common in titles like The Legend of Zelda, Far Cry, Outer Wilds, and Enslaved. The company asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, citing lack of jurisdiction and stating that Tencent’s game will only be released in 2027, making Sony’s allegations premature.
Furthermore, Tencent reminded that Sony itself acknowledged that Horizon Zero Dawn is not an original idea, referring to a statement from the game’s art director, Jan-Bart Van Beek, who mentioned that the concept of a red-haired woman navigating a world dominated by mechanical creatures had already been explored in Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.
To date, no details have been disclosed regarding the progress of the lawsuit or possible dates for a judicial decision.
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