Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) recently filed a lawsuit against Tencent in California federal court. The lawsuit alleges that Tencent has blatantly copied Sony's popular game series Horizon through their latest game titled Light of Motiram. This case has become a major highlight in the global gaming industry as it involves two of the world's tech giants.
Plagiarism and Game Similarity Allegations
According to a Reuters report, Sony said Light of Motiram as a "slavish clone" or total copy of the Horizon. In the lawsuit document, Sony highlights the similarities in gameplay, story themes, and artistic elements that are considered very identical to the game. Horizon. In fact, some game journalists call Light of Motiram as "Horizon Zero Originality", emphasizing that the similarities are not mere coincidence. Sony considers that this resemblance goes beyond the boundaries of inspiration and has fallen into the category of commercially and reputationally damaging plagiarism.
The lawsuit also revealed the interesting fact that in 2024, Tencent had offered a collaboration to Sony to develop a new game in the series Horizon. However, Sony rejected the offer. Not long after the rejection, Tencent announced Light of Motiram, which immediately drew criticism for its similarity to Horizon. This chronology reinforces Sony's suspicion that Tencent intends to take key elements of the Horizon after failing to cooperate officially.
Sony's Demands and Public Response
Sony is asking the court to award an undisclosed amount of damages, as well as ordering Tencent to stop infringing on their intellectual property rights. To date, neither Sony nor Tencent have made any official comments regarding this case. On the other hand, public and media reactions have also been quite harsh. Many industry observers and gamers highlighted the similarities between the two games, with some media outlets even insinuating that the two games were similar. Light of Motiram as a game without originality.
Interestingly, in November 2024, Sony Interactive Entertainment Shanghai had promoted Light of Motiram for PlayStation 5 via social media. However, the post has now been deleted, although it is still accessible through internet archives. This raises questions about the consistency of Sony's stance on the game, especially between headquarters and the regions. Some suspect that the promotion was done before Sony headquarters realized the similarities, or that there may be a difference in policy between headquarters and regional branches.
The Importance of Intellectual Property Rights Protection
This case highlights the importance of protecting intellectual property rights in the gaming industry. As competition intensifies, originality becomes a key factor that every developer must maintain. If Sony wins this lawsuit, the court's decision could set an important precedent for the global gaming industry, especially in the face of future plagiarism cases. In addition, this case also shows the business dynamics between major Western and Chinese game companies. Tencent, as one of the largest gaming companies in the world, certainly doesn't want its reputation tarnished by accusations of plagiarism. Sony, on the other hand, wants to ensure that their original works are protected and respected.
