Sony sues Tencent over its Horizon Zero Dawn clone

Sony is suing Tencent for copying nearly every aspect of its Horizon games for the upcoming Light of Motiram, an open-world hunting game with some obvious similarities to Sony's franchise, as first reported by Reuters. Tencent first announced the new game in November 2024.

The lawsuit goes into detail on the various ways Tencent's new game appears to be unlawfully copying memorable aspects of Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West and Lego Horizon Adventures. That include the basic setup of the game (a post-apocalyptic setting where tribes of humans coexist with machines), the visual appearance of Light of Motiram's characters and even how Sony presents the franchise online. It all adds up to what Sony describes as a "slavish clone" of the Horizon franchise, something Engadget and other publications easily clocked when Tencent first announced the game.

An image of a Light of Motiram banner and a Horizon Zero Dawn banner. Both feature female character, robot animals and natural landscapes.
Sony

The most damning part of Sony's lawsuit is its claim that Tencent tried to license the Horizon IP before it even announced Light of Motiram. The company wanted to "develop its own Horizon game in collaboration with SIE (Sony Interactive Entertainment)," Sony claims, and proposed licensing the Horizon IP to create a mobile game that introduced "Eastern aesthetics" and elements like "survival and crafting, pet taming, [multiplayer game modes], etc." After Sony rejected the offer, Tencent announced Light of Motiram anyway, with many of the mechanics it pitched and using many recognizable visual elements of the Horizon franchise.

In response to the damage and customer confusion caused by Tencent making Light of Motiram, Sony wants an injunction that prevents Tencent from continuing to develop or release the game, along with money and the destruction of anything related to Light of Motiram. The ball is in Tencent's court to argue otherwise, which seems like it might be difficult.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-sues-tencent-over-its-horizon-zero-dawn-clone-191009077.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-sues-tencent-over-its-horizon-zero-dawn-clone-191009077.html?src=rss
Erstellt 11d | 28.07.2025, 20:20:06


Melden Sie sich an, um einen Kommentar hinzuzufügen

Andere Beiträge in dieser Gruppe

Engadget Podcast: Apple bows to the Trump regime (again)

This week, Apple committed another $100 billion towards US investments in a bid to avoid the Trump administration’s chaotic tariff plans. Oh, and Tim Cook gave Trump a unique plaque with a 24-karat

08.08.2025, 13:40:10 | Engadget
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan responds to Trump comments that he should resign

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has responded after Donald Trump accused him of being "highly conflicted" and said he should resign, according to

08.08.2025, 13:40:07 | Engadget
Pick up the Fitbit Charge 6 fitness tracker while it's $50 off

The Fitbit Charge 6 fitness tracker is

08.08.2025, 13:40:05 | Engadget
Google is fixing a bug that causes Gemini to keep calling itself a 'failure'

Gemini has been acting strangely for some users over the past few weeks. There are multiple reports online of users getting responses from Gemini that are oddly self-flagellating. A

08.08.2025, 13:40:03 | Engadget
The Morning After: Meta teases high-spec VR headset prototypes

Meta previewed some of its latest virtual reality prototypes this week and plans to demo them at next week’s SIGGRAPH conference. The aim, according to Meta’s

08.08.2025, 11:20:10 | Engadget
The FCC will review emergency alert systems in the US

The Federal Communications Commission is planning a

07.08.2025, 23:40:15 | Engadget