Copy-Paste Crisis: This Horizon Zero Dawn Clone Crosses the Line — Sony Strikes Back
The clone wars have never burned so hot in the gaming world. In the crosshairs this time: Chinese tech giant Tencent, accused by Sony of shamelessly copying the Horizon universe with its brand new online RPG. A fiery dispute that could redraw the line between inspiration and plagiarism in the video game industry.
While the Horizon saga continues to captivate gamers around the world with its post-apocalyptic world filled with majestic machines and an unforgettable heroine, a shadow has emerged on the horizon. Tencent, through its studio Polaris Quest, has kicked off a legal storm by revealing Light of Motiram—a title that looks a little too familiar to Guerrilla Games’ franchise, according to Sony. Tensions are rising, lawyers are sharpening their arguments, and gamers are watching closely, intrigued.
Image credit: Polaris Quest
When Inspiration Becomes Imitation
The world of Light of Motiram raised eyebrows almost instantly. With its mechanical creatures, sprawling landscapes, and tribal sci-fi atmosphere, it’s hard not to immediately think of Horizon Zero Dawn. The game, unveiled earlier this year, quickly sparked a storm on social media, where many users labeled it a blatant copy of Sony’s 2017 hit.
The similarities are so striking that some of the monsters shown in the Light of Motiram trailer directly resemble iconic creatures like the Shell-Walker or the Frostclaw from the Horizon series. And on closer inspection, several core elements strongly suggest more than just a passing inspiration:
- A post-apocalyptic world blending nature and technology
- A protagonist living in a futuristic tribal society
- Mechanical creatures with strikingly similar designs
- Gameplay mechanics that seem heavily borrowed
A High-Stakes Lawsuit
According to a report from Reuters, Sony wasn’t blindsided. The Japanese company claims that Tencent initially approached PlayStation to acquire an official license to develop a game set in the Horizon universe. When Sony firmly declined, Tencent allegedly decided to move forward anyway—following a path that looks suspiciously familiar.
Sony has filed a lawsuit against Tencent for allegedly ripping off Horizon video games
➡️ https://t.co/8mkqt0Ip7V
The lawsuit alleges Tencent's "Light of Moritam" features identical gameplay, story themes and artistic elements, as well as many other similarities. pic.twitter.com/TQZ1vIkkRH — Shinobi602 (@shinobi602) July 28, 2025
Sony wasted no time responding. The company has filed a lawsuit in a California federal court, accusing Tencent of copyright and trademark infringement. In its statement, Sony describes Light of Motiram as a shameless and slavish clone of its flagship franchise.
The Japanese company is seeking $150,000 in damages and is demanding the complete destruction of all assets related to Polaris Quest’s game.
A Familiar Battle in the Industry
This case inevitably brings to mind another high-profile legal dispute: the showdown between Nintendo and Pocketpair following the launch of Palworld, often dubbed “Pokémon with guns”. While the game survived the lawsuit, it underwent significant changes to avoid harsher penalties.
Ironically, as some point out, even Pokémon itself was once inspired by Dragon Quest. Is history simply repeating itself?
The fate of Light of Motiram now rests in the hands of the U.S. legal system. What consequences await Tencent? Could this case lead to stricter rules around creative inspiration in gaming? One thing is certain: this is a legal battle the industry won’t soon forget.
