Sony Escalates Legal Battle: Seeks Preliminary Injunction Against Tencent Over Horizon Clone Light of Motiram

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has dramatically escalated its high-stakes legal confrontation with Chinese gaming behemoth Tencent, filing a motion for a preliminary injunction in a California federal court. This aggressive move aims to immediately halt the promotion and development of Tencent’s upcoming open-world survival game, Light of Motiram, which Sony alleges is a “slavish clone” and a direct infringement of the intellectual property (IP) of its critically acclaimed franchise, Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.

This development, coming only hours after Sony filed its opposition to Tencent’s motion to dismiss the initial copyright and trademark infringement lawsuit, signals a firm resolve to protect one of PlayStation’s most valuable and rapidly expanding franchises. The legal tussle centers on claims that Light of Motiram copies several distinct elements of the Horizon series, which Sony is fighting to protect amidst significant future plans for the IP, including a major film adaptation.

The Core of the Controversy: Alleged Copying and Consumer Confusion

The lawsuit, initially filed in late July 2025, outlined numerous striking similarities between the two games, a sentiment echoed widely by the gamer community and gaming journalists since Light of Motiram’s initial announcement. Sony’s most recent filing specifically targets several elements for immediate cessation:

• The Protagonist: A “fierce tribal warrior huntress characterized by fiery red hair,” which Sony argues is a clear and confusing resemblance to the Horizon series’ iconic lead, Aloy. The motion seeks to bar Tencent from using this specific character archetype.
• Visuals and Aesthetic: The overall post-apocalyptic setting, combining tribal human societies with colossal, animalistic machines, which critics have consistently described as a near-identical “rip-off” of the Horizon franchise’s signature aesthetic.
• Musical IP: The injunction also targets a melody used in promotional materials for Light of Motiram, which Sony claims is too similar to at least two compositions from the Horizon Zero Dawn Original Soundtrack (OST).

Sony argues that the very existence and promotion of Light of Motiram—which it claims was developed after Sony declined a licensing proposal from Tencent—causes irreparable harm by creating consumer confusion and jeopardizing the “continued success” of the Horizon series. This is a crucial point for the preliminary injunction, as demonstrating immediate and ongoing damage is often a prerequisite for such a court-ordered stop.

Tencent’s Defense: Time-Honored Tropes and Jurisdictional Challenges

In its own filings, Tencent has vigorously disputed Sony’s claims, describing the lawsuit as an attempt to establish an “impermissible monopoly” on “well-trodden” genre ingredients. The Chinese multinational argues that elements like a red-headed heroine or fighting machine creatures are common game design tropes found in numerous other titles, citing examples like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.

Furthermore, Tencent has attempted to undermine Sony’s claim of immediate harm, pointing to the game’s recently delayed release date—now slated for Q4 2027, a significant push back from its original late 2025 target—and arguing that a preliminary injunction is premature for a product so far from launch. This delay, which coincided with the quiet removal of several highly criticized screenshots and logos from the Light of Motiram Steam page, is interpreted by Sony as an admission of guilt.

Sony’s Counter: “This is nonsense,” SIE’s legal team stated in its opposition filing. “The damage is done – and it continues.” Sony asserts that the harm is not just in the eventual release, but in the ongoing marketing and public perception that the AAA IP has been copied, damaging the brand’s goodwill and reputation.

The Financial Stakes: CPC and Brand Value

For a brand as valuable as Horizon, the legal battle carries colossal financial implications, extending far beyond immediate game sales. The alleged infringement threatens:

• Marketing and CPC (Cost Per Click) Integrity: Confusion in search results and digital advertising could drive up Sony’s Cost Per Click for Horizon-related keywords, diverting potential customers and increasing their marketing expenditure unnecessarily.
• Franchise Expansion: Court documents have revealed significant advancements in the Horizon Zero Dawn film adaptation, with a working script in place and filming expected to begin in 2026 for a potential 2027 release (Source: Court Declaration, October 2025). Any dilution of the IP’s distinctiveness by a “knock-off” threatens the success of these multi-million dollar cross-media projects.
• Intellectual Property Control: At its core, the lawsuit is about control over original content and copyright protection—a critical concern for all major video game developers and publishers. The outcome will set a precedent for protecting unique game aesthetics and character designs globally.

The preliminary injunction hearing is tentatively scheduled for November 20, 2025. This date looms large as the gaming industry watches a pivotal clash between a Western console gaming giant and the world’s largest gaming company by revenue, with the future of an entire open-world game hinging on the court’s decision.