Tencent Seeks to Dismiss Sony’s Lawsuit Over Light of Motiram

Tencent is fighting back against Sony’s lawsuit claiming copyright infringement; the lawsuit alleges that Tencent stole Horizon series trademarks in its upcoming title, Light of Motiram. Though both do utilize similar worlds, gameplay mechanics, and themes, Tencent motioned to dismiss the case for a myriad of reasons. 

Firstly, Tencent claims Sony has come after the wrong entities, and that Tencent is not the one actually developing or publishing Light of Motiram. According to the motion to dismiss, Light of Motiram is being handled by two other Tencent-affiliated companies: Polaris Quest and Proxima Beta PTE Ltd., a Singapore-based company. 

“Sony’s threadbare, conclusory allegations improperly lump these Defendants together with the foreign companies alleged to be responsible for the core conduct at issue. Sony’s vague allegations against ‘Tencent’ or ‘Defendants’ generally cannot substantiate the claims it brings against Tencent America, Proxima Beta U.S., or Tencent Holdings specifically,” Tencent’s motion to dismiss reads, according to The Game Post.

Tencent’s second claim, and perhaps its most arguably logical, is that Light of Motiram has not even been released yet. “The alleged infringements have not occurred and may in fact never occur,” Tencent states in its own defense. 

The conglomerate believes Sony is attempting to lock down ideas and imagery that have been used in the franchise for decades. 

“At bottom, Sony’s effort is not aimed at fighting off piracy, plagiarism, or any genuine threat to intellectual property. It is an improper attempt to fence off a well-trodden corner of popular culture and declare it Sony’s exclusive domain,” the complaint reads.

Nintendo and Palworld saw a very similar lawsuit, where Nintendo pressured Palworld in an attempt to take legal precedent over the indie company. Despite the legal pressures, Palworld continues to see updates and to flourish, having celebrated its 32 million player milestone months ago. Palworld did see small gameplay adjustments to compromise with legal claims, but the game is alive and kicking.