Sony has taken a bold step by filing a lawsuit against Tencent over its upcoming game, Light of Motiram. Sony has accused Tencent of creating a “shameless” replica of the Horizon series. In response, Tencent removed potentially infringing content from its stores, but is now fighting back, claiming that Sony is trying to monopolize common genre conventions.
According to Insider Gaming and The Game Post, Tencent is seeking to have Sony’s lawsuit dismissed on the basis that the “infringing” content is simply part of established genre norms. The company argues that Sony is improperly trying to claim these elements as their exclusive territory.
“At bottom, Sony’s effort is not aimed at fighting off piracy or plagiarism; it is an inappropriate attempt to fence off a well-trodden corner of popular culture,” Tencent asserted. They point out the contradiction in Sony’s claims, which state that titles like Horizon: Zero Dawn and its sequel are unique and without precedent.
Tencent pointed out, “In Sony’s telling, Horizon: Zero Dawn is ‘like no fictional world created before [or] since.’ That claim is startling and contradicted by Sony’s own developers, not to mention the long history of video games featuring the same elements that Sony seeks to monopolize.”
Interestingly, Tencent cites a remark from Horizon’s art director, Jan-Bart Van Beek, suggesting that the game’s central theme—a red-haired woman navigating an apocalyptic world dominated by machines—was borrowed from the 2013 game Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. This directly undermines Sony’s claim of originality.
Tencent also highlighted other games that share similarities with Horizon, including Enslaved, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Far Cry: Primal, Far Cry: New Dawn, Outer Wilds, and Biomutant. They criticized Sony’s push for what they describe as an “impermissible monopoly on genre conventions.”
Furthermore, they argue that Sony’s lawsuit targets the wrong corporate entities and that Light of Motiram is not set to launch until 2027, rendering Sony’s claims as premature and based on hypothetical scenarios. “The alleged infringements have not occurred and may in fact never occur,” they stated.
Legal disputes like this are not uncommon in the gaming industry. In the past, games such as Dark and Darker faced store removals due to similar copyright infringement lawsuits, showcasing the contentious nature of intellectual property within gaming.
What happens if a game is accused of being a copycat?
When a game faces accusations of being a copycat, it often results in legal actions that can halt production or sales, similar to what’s happening with Tencent and Sony.
How does copyright law apply to video games?
Copyright law protects original works from being reproduced without permission, but vague definitions around similarities in genre can complicate claims.
What are some past examples of copyright disputes in gaming?
Past disputes include the case involving Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, which highlighted issues surrounding game mechanics and visuals.
Are genre conventions eligible for copyright protection?
Genre conventions generally cannot be copyrighted if they are widely used across multiple games; instead, copyright protects specific expressions of ideas.
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