Sony Accuses Tencent of “Shell Game” in Response to ‘Horizon‘ Clone Defense
[CITY, STATE] – [DATE] – Sony Interactive entertainment (SIE) has sharply rebuked Tencent’s attempt to dismiss its lawsuit alleging copyright infringement over the game Light of Motiram, calling the Chinese tech giant’s defense “nonsense.” The lawsuit centers around claims that Light of Motiram is a blatant “knock-off” of Sony’s critically acclaimed Horizon series.
According to a complaint filed by Sony, Tencent initially announced and promoted Light of Motiram for months, only to reportedly delay its release until 2027 following the lawsuit. “The damage is done – and it continues,” sony stated. The company further alleges that despite public outcry over the game’s similarities to Horizon, Tencent continued promotion and refused to acknowledge duty.
Tencent had argued that Sony was suing the wrong entities, claiming growth and publishing responsibilities lie with Polaris Quest / Aurora studios, operating under Tencent Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, and Proxima Beta PTE Ltd. Though, Sony countered that Tencent is attempting to “avoid liability by playing a shell game with its brands and entities,” and shield controlled companies from legal process.
“Tencent Holdings describes its own business as having a Games division that ‘own[s] Aurora Studios’ – the Light of Motiram development studio,” Sony’s filing asserts. “Tencent Holdings reports all of its revenue and debt from games…without attribution to any subsidiary. And it uses the name Tencent to advertise its games, like Light of Motiram – without distinguishing between subsidiaries.”
Sony maintains that the striking resemblance between the games, especially the protagonist in Light of Motiram bearing a strong likeness to Horizon’s Aloy, will jeopardize the success of the Horizon franchise, including planned expansions. numerous media outlets and fans have already described light of Motiram as a “major Horizon rip off,” a “copycat,” and “extremely similar to Horizon Zero Dawn.”
The company argues Aloy is a key symbol of the Horizon brand, and the ”Aloy lookalike” in Light of Motiram represents an “egregious” attempt to capitalize on Sony’s established character and reputation.
sony is requesting the court reject Tencent’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit and allow the case to proceed.
