- Sony has filed a lawsuit against Tencent over Light of Moth's similarity to the Horizon franchise.
- The Japanese company is alleging copyright and trademark infringement and requesting compensation and the removal of the game.
- Tencent reportedly initially attempted to negotiate an official license before releasing the game independently.
- The similarities between the two titles range from character and creature design to setting and narrative.
Over the past few weeks, the video game sector has witnessed A new confrontation between two giants of the sector: Sony Interactive Entertainment has decided to take legal action against Tencent, directly targeting its recent project, Light of MotiramThis move comes after months of speculation and comparisons between Tencent's new title and the renowned franchise. Horizon from PlayStation.
The dispute is fueled by the striking resemblance that Light of Motiram sample regarding the saga created by Guerrilla Games. Since it was first presented in 2024, both players and specialized media pointed out how unmistakable inspiration – or direct copy – of iconic elements from the universe of Horizon Zero Dawn y Horizon forbidden west.
Reasons and details of Sony's complaint against Tencent
According to court documents made public and reported by multiple media outlets, Sony accuses Tencent of violating copyright and trademark rights regarding intellectual property HorizonThe lawsuit was filed July 25 in federal court in California, and demands a financial compensation for the alleged damages and the immediate removal of any promotional or related material Light of Motiram, with the intention of preventing the title from being published.
According to Sony, The similarities between the two games are not limited to the superficial.The documentation mentions from the design of mechanical creatures and female protagonists with a look and attire very similar to Aloy's, to the use of devices similar to the "Focus", the post-apocalyptic setting and tribal narrative that form the core of the original saga. Even, the color palette, the architecture, the landscapes and the symbols present en Light of Motiram have been the subject of suspicion.
As part of the lawsuit, Sony seeks compensation of up to $150.000 for every element of the franchise that it considers plagiarized, and demands that all Tencent production and marketing materials related to the game be handed over for destruction, thus avoiding any possible confusion among consumers.
Origin of the conflict: failed attempts at agreement
The disagreement has its origin in the Tencent's initial proposal to collaborate with Sony in the development of a new game based on Horizon. According to the complaint, the Chinese company contacted Sony during the 2024 Game Developers Conference to explore a possible licensing agreement. The answer was negative, but after the breakdown of negotiations, Tencent reportedly decided to move forward with its game, using several of the previously discussed concepts and elements as a basis.
Sony subsequently attempted to resolve the dispute informally, proposing to Tencent that it reconsider the development of the game or at least to refrain from using direct references to HorizonHowever, the Asian company chose to continue working on and promoting the project, which has led to the current legal battle.
Notable similarities and controversy in the community
Since the first appearance of Light of Motiram in public, The debate raged on portals, forums and social networks due to the magnitude of the coincidences. The protagonist, the focus on robotic creatures and the setting are clearly reminiscent of Guerrilla Games' original proposal, something that media such as Kotaku, TheGamer and GameRant have repeatedly highlighted in their analyses and editorials. The community has also pointed out the similarities in artistic style and narrative elementsAnd the similarity is at least remarkable, as you can see in the image above.
At the same time, Both productions share mechanics such as open-world exploration., building shelters, collecting resources and fighting mechanical bosses, although Tencent's title offers a cooperative and multiplayer approach that differentiates it in part from the solo adventures starring Aloy.
In the complaint itself, Sony warns of the danger of confusion among players, who might think that Light of Motiram is an official part of the universe Horizon or is somehow linked to PlayStation, when it isn't. Meanwhile, the game remains listed on Steam and other platforms with no confirmed release date, and can be added to wishlists but without access to public testing.
Tencent's stance and the impact on the industry
To date, Tencent has not publicly commented on the lawsuit filed., limiting itself to continuing with the development and promotion of Light of MotiramThe Polaris Quest subsidiary, responsible for production, has also not issued any official statements on the matter.
This case adds to other precedents in the video game industry where There have been accusations of plagiarism of successful franchises, such as the confrontation between Nintendo and the creators of Pal world for alleged appropriation of elements of PokémonThe trend to build on mechanics, styles or even entire universes of popular titles, especially in the open world and survival genre, seems to be on the rise and puts on the table the fine line between inspiration and infringement of rights in the digital environment.
For now, the legal battle between Sony and Tencent leaves the immediate future of Light of Motiram up in the airThe reaction of the community and the courts will determine both the title's fate and a possible precedent for intellectual property protection in the gaming industry.
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