Sony has petitioned a federal court to prohibit Tencent from incorporating several key components in its upcoming title Light of Motiram, which the Japanese gaming giant claims constitutes copyright infringement of its acclaimed Horizon franchise. The company is seeking expedited consideration of its preliminary injunction request, asking the court to schedule hearings before the conclusion of 2025.

Online communities began raising concerns about Light of Motiram's similarities to Horizon shortly after Tencent unveiled the game in November 2024. These public allegations appear to have influenced Sony's legal strategy, culminating in the company filing both trademark and copyright infringement claims against the Chinese tech conglomerate. The lawsuit was officially lodged with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in late July 2025. Tencent subsequently moved to dismiss the case in September, asserting that Light of Motiram employs conventional gaming tropes that are equally present in Sony's own Horizon series.

In response to Tencent's dismissal motion, Sony submitted a preliminary injunction request on October 15, seeking immediate court intervention. The Japanese corporation is asking Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley to mandate that Tencent redesign Light of Motiram's central character—a flame-haired tribal huntress that Sony contends could be easily confused with Horizon's iconic protagonist, Aloy. The injunction petition additionally targets a musical composition from the game's trailer, alleging it bears striking resemblance to two signature tracks from Horizon Zero Dawn's official soundtrack: Joris de Man's "City on the Mesa" and the game's principal theme.

The legal filing further demands that Tencent cease using specific narrative and visual elements within Light of Motiram. Sony maintains that the combination of animal-inspired mechanical creatures, vivid post-apocalyptic environments, and tribal societies strongly indicates deliberate imitation. "Sony Interactive Entertainment dedicated years and invested substantial nine-figure resources to develop each component in an innovative and distinctive manner," states the October 15 motion. "Instead of pursuing similar creative development, Tencent opted for replication." This fundamental argument was initially presented in Sony's original complaint against Light of Motiram.

Sony has proposed November 20 as the hearing date for its injunction petition. Judge Corley retains discretion to approve this schedule, delay proceedings, or deny the request entirely. Intellectual property specialist Florian Mueller of Games Fray suggests that obtaining a preliminary injunction at this developmental stage may prove challenging, particularly since Light of Motiram remains in active production. The incomplete nature of the game makes definitive assessment of potential infringement difficult, as final content remains subject to modification.

Following the copyright infringement litigation, Tencent has implemented selective modifications to Light of Motiram's marketing materials. Such adjustments represent standard procedure in intellectual property disputes and do not necessarily indicate acknowledgment of wrongdoing. Rather, these changes typically serve as protective measures to minimize potential liability, facilitate settlement discussions, or achieve both objectives. Tencent's legal representatives are anticipated to formally contest Sony's preliminary injunction request in the approaching weeks, potentially as early as late October 2025.

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