The High Stakes of Copyright: Sony Fires Back at Tencent in ‘Light of Motiram’ Lawsuit, Insisting ‘The Damage Is Done’

The protracted legal battle between gaming giants Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and Tencent has reached a new and acrimonious stage. In a recent, strongly-worded court filing, Sony has vehemently opposed Tencent’s motion to dismiss the ongoing copyright infringement lawsuit concerning the upcoming open-world survival game, ‘Light of Motiram’. Sony did not mince words, calling Tencent’s defense “nonsense” and doubling down on its claim that the title is a “slavish clone” and a “knock-off” of its highly valuable PlayStation IP, the Horizon franchise. This escalating conflict not only highlights the massive commercial value of AAA video game franchises but also sets a precedent for intellectual property protection in the fiercely competitive global gaming industry.

The core of the dispute revolves around the perceived blatant similarities between Tencent’s ‘Light of Motiram’ and Sony’s critically acclaimed ‘Horizon Zero Dawn’ and its sequel, ‘Horizon Forbidden West.’ From the moment of its announcement, ‘Light of Motiram’ drew widespread comparisons, particularly for its central character—a fierce, red-haired, tribal warrior huntress—and its post-apocalyptic world populated by majestic, mechanical creatures. Sony asserts that these similarities are not merely a result of utilizing “well-trodden tropes,” as Tencent argues, but represent a deliberate and egregious effort to trade off the established goodwill and reputation of the Horizon brand and its iconic protagonist, Aloy.

Sony’s Counter-Attack: Shell Games and Irreversible Damage

Tencent’s initial response to the July lawsuit included a motion to dismiss, claiming the case was “unripe” because the game’s release had reportedly been delayed until 2027 and because they had changed some artwork and descriptions on the Steam page. Sony’s recent filing decisively rejects this defense.

Sony’s Key Assertions in the Latest Filing:

• “The Damage Is Done”: Sony argues that the infringement and resulting market confusion began the moment ‘Light of Motiram’ was announced and promoted. The public outcry and media coverage, which repeatedly labeled the game a ‘rip-off’ and ‘copycat,’ serve as tangible proof of the immediate negative impact on the Horizon IP’s integrity and future success, including its expansion plans. The alleged copyright violation is not contingent on the eventual release date.
• Allegations of a “Shell Game”: SIE accuses Tencent of using a complex network of subsidiaries—including Tencent America, Proxima Beta U.S., and others—in a deliberate attempt to shield the parent company from legal liability. Sony argues that Tencent Holdings actively manages the revenue and direction of these projects, and therefore, cannot claim to be a passive holding company detached from the infringement. This maneuver, which Sony terms a “shell game,” is an attempt to evade accountability for what they insist is outright plagiarism.
• Trading on Goodwill: Sony emphasizes the distinctive nature of Aloy, stating that the character is a symbol of the PlayStation brand. Tencent’s “Aloy lookalike” is viewed as an “egregious” attempt to exploit the character’s globally recognized brand equity, sidestepping the immense investment in time and capital required to create such a successful and original franchise.
• Rejection of Generic Tropes Defense: While Tencent claimed they were only using “ubiquitous genre ingredients,” Sony’s filing forcefully counters that the combination of specific elements—the lead character’s visual design, the presence of robotic creatures, the world-building, and even the hiring of talent associated with the Horizon music—constitutes a clear and actionable copying of protected elements.

The Commercial and Creative Stakes for the Industry

This legal showdown is more than a feud between two gaming behemoths; it’s a critical case for video game development and intellectual property law. Sony’s lawsuit seeks to protect not just the sales of its flagship titles but the very distinctiveness of the creative world developed by Guerrilla Games. The cost of game development for open-world AAA titles like ‘Horizon’ runs into hundreds of millions of dollars, representing a massive creative risk. Sony’s argument hinges on preventing larger corporations from simply copying years of development work and game design innovation, thereby undermining the incentives for original content creation.

The news of Tencent quietly changing ‘Light of Motiram’s Steam page assets—including the cover image and original description—following the initial lawsuit filing is presented by Sony as tacit admission of the original infringement. The motion seeks a preliminary injunction to prevent Tencent from promoting, distributing, or releasing ‘Light of Motiram’ in its current form, as well as to bar the use of the Aloy lookalike and other visually or narratively similar elements, pending the resolution of the case. A hearing on the preliminary injunction is reportedly scheduled for late November, which is expected to be a pivotal moment in this high-profile litigation.

The industry is watching closely. A ruling in favor of Sony could strengthen copyright protections for complex video game elements, while a dismissal could be interpreted as a green light for leveraging established design templates, potentially encouraging more ‘clones’ and increasing market saturation with derivative products. This case is a crucial test of whether a game’s unique aesthetic and combination of genre elements can be legally fenced off from those with significant development budget and global reach, ensuring that premium IP value remains protected.

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