Tencent Holdings’ upcoming game Light of Motiram, the accused direct copy of Horizon Zero Dawn, has escalated its legal dispute with Sony Interactive Entertainment. The case was brought in the United States. According to the Northern District of California District Court, Light of Motiram plagiarizes the visual style, narrative ideas, and even the mechanical creature concepts of Horizon.

Sony Calls Tencent’s Defense “Nonsense”

In its most recent 35-page filing, Sony called Tencent’s defense “nonsense,” claiming that even though the company has tried to change its marketing materials, “the damage is done, and it continues.” Sony also noted that early trailers, screenshots, and promotional pages have already confused the public and led players to mistakenly associate Tencent’s title with the Horizon franchise.

Tencent was also charged by Sony’s legal team with evading accountability by utilizing a convoluted corporate structure. According to the filing, Tencent’s subsidiaries, such as Proxima Beta, Level Infinite, and Aurora Studios, are a part of a “shell game” that aims to evade direct accountability. Tencent Holdings is still “at the helm” of the project, according to Sony, and ought to bear the full weight of the alleged infringement.

Tencent’s Reaction and the Current Debate

Tencent allegedly changed some design elements and postponed the release of Light of Motiram until late 2027 in response to the lawsuit. But according to Sony, these changes are merely “cosmetic” and won’t significantly repair the damage to the Horizon brand’s reputation, which is already being harmed by media projects and sequels.

Industry Responses and Upcoming Projects

Beyond court filings, neither Sony nor Tencent have released any additional public statements. Fans and industry observers continue to pay close attention to the case, which is still ongoing. This lawsuit, which pits two of the biggest names in gaming against each other, may establish a standard for how similar games can be before they violate copyright.