Sony sued China-based video game developer Tencent Games for copyright and trademark infringement on Friday over its adventure video game “Light of Motiram,” which it claims is a “slavish clone” of its own popular franchise “Horizon” — specifically its “Zero Dawn” and “Forbidden West” installments.
“Tencent’s copying of ‘Horizon’ is so blatant that the public has described it as ‘crazy,’ ‘insane’ and ‘shameless,’” the company said of Tencent’s game in its suit, which was filed Friday in California’s Northern District Court.
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The lawsuit goes on to specify that “Light of Motiram” includes a copycat version of “Horizon” main character “Aloy,” the “face” of its game “Horizon Zero Dark,” which they say Tencent strategically used as part of their early marketing tactics as a way to confuse interested gamers into thinking “Light of Motiram” was the next “Horizon.”
“Tencent also used its rip-off of the iconic ‘Horizon’ main character ‘Aloy’ as the centerpiece of its pre-release marketing and promotional strategy, deliberately causing numerous game lovers to confuse ‘Light Motiram’ as the next game in the ‘Horizon’ series when encountering Tencent’s promotional game play videos and social media accounts,” the gaming company stated.
The lawsuit additionally claimed that Tencent began developing their game sometime in 2023 and crafted a young, female character with red hair, as well as tribal groups that fight for survival among “large robotic animals in a post-apocalyptic world.” In addition, Sony stated that Tencent attempted pitch its own version of “Horizon” to the mega video game publisher with hopes of sealing a collaboration. Despite Sony rejecting the offer, Tencent moved forward with its plans anyway, the lawsuit claims.
“Tencent was undeterred by SIE’s refusal to license its Horizon intellectual property,” the lawsuit continues. “Tencent continued secretly developing ‘Light of Motiram,’ eventually announcing a forthcoming game.”
Sony is requesting the damages in the amount of $150,000 for each separate work in the “Horizon” franchise infringed or of “SIE’s actual damages sustained as a result of Defendants’ acts of copyright infringement,” and other monetary damages.
Tencent has not announced a release date for “Light of Motiram.” Representatives for the developer did not immediately response to TheWrap’s request for comment.
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