Sony opposes Tencent's legal defence over alleged Horizon inspired game lawsuit

• The company accused Tencent of hiding behind shell firms to dodge accountability for Light of Motiram.
• The filing claims Tencent used subsidiaries like Aurora Studios, Level Infinite, and Proxima Beta to obscure responsibility.
• Sony argued that infringement has already occurred, and delaying the game to 2027 does not undo the violation.
• The PlayStation maker is asking to move forward to discovery and access Tencent’s internal communications.

Sony has rejected Tencent’s legal response and alleged that the company used shell firms to avoid accountability for Light of Motiram. 

As reported by The Game Post, the PlayStation company issued a 35-page court filing asking the court to reject Tencent’s attempt to dismiss the case and accused it of using subsidiaries to avoid liability. 

Sony argued that the infringement had already occurred and that delaying Light of Motiram’s release to 2027 with updated artwork does not undo the violation, rejecting Tencent’s claim that the case is premature.

“Tencent remarkably contends SIE’s claims are unripe because - despite having announced and continuously promoted its game for months - Tencent (purportedly) delayed Light of Motiram’s release until 2027 after SIE sued,” the complaint reads. “This is nonsense. The damage is done - and it continues.”

Legal showdown ahead 

In July, Sony sued Tencent over its mobile game Light of Motiram, calling it a direct copy of the Horizon series. 

Tencent responded in September, seeking to dismiss the case as premature and arguing that Sony was unfairly claiming ownership of common game elements used in titles like The Legend of Zelda and Far Cry.

Sony accused Tencent of using a network of subsidiaries such as Aurora Studios, Level Infinite, and Proxima Beta to obscure responsibility for Light of Motiram. 

It also pointed to Tencent’s investor documents, arguing they prove the parent company actively manages games revenue rather than being a passive holding firm.

Now, in a 35-page court filing, Sony has urged the court to reject Tencent’s motion to dismiss and, if needed, allow it to amend its complaint and proceed to discovery to access Tencent’s internal communications and documents.