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Sony’s lawsuit against Tencent over its upcoming survival game Light of Motiram has taken a sharp turn. After being accused of copying elements from PlayStation’s Horizon series, Tencent has filed a response dismissing Sony’s claims as baseless and an attempt to monopolise common gaming conventions. The company is now seeking to have the lawsuit thrown out entirely.

Sony Accuses Tencent of Copying Horizon Games

In July, Sony filed a lawsuit claiming Tencent’s Light of Motiram was a “slavish clone” of Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel Horizon Forbidden West. The PlayStation parent argued the new game’s post-apocalyptic setting, red-haired female lead, and mechanical creatures were far too similar to its flagship IP. Sony sought damages and an injunction, saying the similarities could confuse players.

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Tencent Hits Back: “These Are Time-Honored Tropes”

Tencent’s legal filing, spotted by The Game Post, rejected all copyright infringement allegations. It argued that Sony was trying to “fence off a well-trodden corner of popular culture” by claiming ownership of tropes seen in countless other games.

The company pointed to titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Far Cry: Primal, Biomutant and Outer Wilds as examples of games which had long featured post-apocalyptic worlds with tamable creatures and compelling protagonists prior to or following Horizon.

Horizon License Talks Fell Through

Sony also alleged that Tencent had earlier pitched a collaboration for a Horizon mobile title in 2024, which was rejected. In its defense, Tencent clarified that while talks may have happened, no agreement was ever reached. More importantly, the company claimed nothing in those discussions amounted to copyright infringement.

Tencent Challenges Sony’s Legal Grounds

Tencent also questioned the legal basis of Sony’s lawsuit, arguing PlayStation sued the wrong parties. The filing noted that Light of Motiram is being developed by Tencent affiliates Polaris Quest (Aurora Studios) in Shanghai and Proxima Beta PTE in Singapore, not the U.S.-based Tencent entities named in the case.

Adding to its defense, Tencent pointed out that Light of Motiram isn’t even released yet — with a launch window of Q4 2027. As such, no alleged infringement has occurred, and it “may in fact never occur,” the company argued.

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Light of Motiram: A Game Still Years Away

Announced in November 2024 with a cinematic trailer, Light of Motiram quickly drew comparisons to Horizon due to its strikingly familiar elements. Following Sony’s lawsuit, Tencent reportedly removed several assets from the game’s Steam page, though the title remains in active development.

The Bigger Picture

This battle between gaming titans Tencent and Disney underscores a growing debate within the industry: where should inspiration end and infringement begin? If Tencent wins their lawsuit against Disney and has it dismissed, this could set an important precedent regarding ownership claims for popular genre elements.