Sony Calls Tencent’s Defense in Horizon Clone Lawsuit “Nonsense”

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Sony has strongly refuted Tencent’s attempt to have their lawsuit dismissed, labeling it absurd and claiming Tencent is trying to mislead the court.

Sony is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Tencent. Sony initially sued Tencent earlier this year, claiming Tencent’s game, Light of Motiram, copied elements from the Horizon series. Tencent responded last month, attempting to have the case dismissed, but Sony has now fired back, accusing Tencent of trying to evade responsibility and arguing that the harm has already been done.

Sony Says ‘The Damage is Done’ in Response to Tencent’s Defence

A new 35-page document filed by Sony today dismisses Tencent’s legal defense as baseless, according to a report from TheGamePost. Sony argues that Tencent’s claim that the lawsuit is premature – despite the game already being announced and advertised – doesn’t hold up, as the delay of the game’s release until 2027 happened *after* Sony filed suit. Sony states plainly that the damage has already been done and is ongoing.

Sony explained that despite community confusion and anger after the discovery of Light of Motiram, Tencent continued to promote it even though Sony had objected, and they didn’t take any responsibility for their actions.

Sony Accuses Tencent of Playing a Shell Game to Avoid Liability

Tencent argues Sony sued the wrong companies. Sony responded by accusing Tencent of deliberately trying to evade responsibility through complex corporate structuring and brand management. The statement goes on to say…

Tencent owns Aurora Studios, the team behind the game Light of Motiram. However, in its financial reports, Tencent combines the revenue and debts of all its games without specifying which ones come from specific studios like Aurora. When promoting games like Light of Motiram, Tencent also uses its own name and doesn’t highlight the individual studios that created them.

Sony Calls Light of Motiram a Blatant Knock-Off Game

Sony strongly criticized Light of Motiram, accusing it of being a blatant copy of Horizon. They stated that public reaction was overwhelmingly negative due to the extensive copying of protected elements, which threatens the future of the Horizon franchise, including planned expansions. Sony also highlighted that media outlets have repeatedly labeled the game a “rip-off” and “copycat.”

Critics have accused Tencent of copying elements from the character Aloy. Many journalists and fans pointed out strong similarities between Aloy’s design and a character created by Tencent, noting the resemblance in red hair, clothing with similar details, and even accessories like the bow and blue and orange ropes. Some believe the character’s overall design and costume are clearly based on Aloy.

Tencent and Sony Met for a Potential Collaboration on The Last of Us

A recent report from TheGamePost details discussions between Sony and Tencent regarding a possible partnership on The Last of Us. According to Olivier Courtemanche, head of PlayStation Studios Mobile, they’ve met with Tencent’s gaming team and Aurora Studios on a few occasions. These meetings took place in the US, specifically at the DICE conference in Las Vegas and during GDC 2024 in San Francisco.

In two separate meetings, Tencent proposed a collaboration involving their game, Project Z, and the Horizon franchise. Sony declined the proposal, making it clear they weren’t willing to license the Horizon IP. Tencent, in turn, indicated they only wanted to partner with Sony if it included Horizon.

Another meeting was set for July 2024, and Courtemanche traveled to China to meet with Tencent and Aurora Studios. He explained that his team initially believed the meeting would explore a possible partnership for “The Last of Us.” However, the meeting didn’t go as planned; Aurora instead presented the same Project Z they had previously discussed.

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2025-10-16 17:48