Red-Haired Huntress at the Center: Sony Fights to Protect Aloy’s Character Mark and Horizon Franchise Integrity

In a significant escalation of the ongoing intellectual property dispute, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has formally requested a preliminary injunction against Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings and its related subsidiaries in a California federal court. The motion, filed late last week, aims to halt pre-release promotion and potentially block the launch of Tencent’s upcoming open-world survival game, Light of Motiram, which Sony alleges is a “slavish clone” of its highly successful PlayStation exclusive franchise, Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.

This aggressive legal maneuver follows Sony’s initial copyright and trademark infringement lawsuit filed in July 2025. Sony’s recent filing specifically targets several elements of the defendant’s game, demanding the court bar Tencent from using a “fierce tribal warrior huntress characterized by fiery red hair” that allegedly resembles Horizon’s iconic protagonist, Aloy. The injunction request also extends to specific visual assets, storyline elements, and even a trailer melody that Sony claims is too similar to two compositions from the Horizon Zero Dawn original soundtrack.

The Core of the Copyright Infringement Claim: ‘Slavish Copy’ Allegations

The controversy surrounding Light of Motiram—a free-to-play mobile and PC title—began almost immediately after its announcement in late 2024, with numerous gaming news outlets and social media users highlighting striking similarities to the Horizon series. Sony’s legal team has consistently pointed to this public reaction as evidence of consumer confusion and irreparable harm to the Horizon brand. Key similarities cited in the filings include:

• The protagonist’s distinct appearance (red-haired tribal huntress).
• The setting: a post-apocalyptic world populated by tribal factions.
• The presence of large, animal-like robotic machines, including a “robot mastodon” look-alike.
• The alleged use of an in-game device visually and functionally similar to Aloy’s ‘Focus’.
• The hiring of a composer who had previously worked on the Horizon Forbidden West score.

Tencent, in its motion to dismiss the initial lawsuit, countered these claims by arguing that Light of Motiram merely utilizes “well-trodden tropes” common in the action RPG and survival genres. Furthermore, in a highly publicized move shortly after the lawsuit was filed, Tencent quietly scrubbed its Steam page of many of the most contentious screenshots and character art, while also delaying the game’s projected release date from late 2025 to late 2027.

Sony Slams Tencent’s Defense as “Nonsense”

Sony has vehemently rejected Tencent’s defense, labeling the maneuver of delaying the release and removing content a “shell game” intended to evade liability. The PlayStation manufacturer argues that the damage to their intellectual property is already done. In its latest filing, Sony stated:

“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. This is nonsense. The damage is done—and it continues.”

The firm emphasizes that the alleged infringement, particularly the “egregious” attempt to trade off the goodwill and reputation of the Aloy character—which Sony views as a valuable character trademark—is a continuing offense. The motion for preliminary injunction aims to stop the promotional activities that, in Sony’s view, continue to muddy the waters for the $50-$60 AAA games franchise.

The Stakes: Protecting High CPC Keywords and Franchise Value

Beyond the philosophical debate over creative inspiration versus blatant copying, this case has enormous financial ramifications. The Horizon franchise is a cornerstone of Sony’s exclusive content strategy, and its success directly impacts console sales and the overall health of the PlayStation ecosystem. Protecting the brand is critical for maintaining the high organic search value and CPC keywords associated with the franchise, such as “open-world survival game,” “best PS5 exclusives,” and “robot dinosaur game.”

Sony’s legal action is a clear signal that it will spare no expense to safeguard its multi-billion dollar franchises from potential low-cost competitors. A successful injunction would force Tencent to undertake a complete redesign of Light of Motiram’s promotional materials and, potentially, the in-game assets themselves, setting a significant precedent in the global video game industry against alleged cloning.

What’s Next: A November Court Hearing

A hearing on Sony’s motion for a preliminary injunction has been scheduled for November 20, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. This hearing will be closely watched by legal experts and the entire gaming community, as the court’s decision will be a major indicator of how intellectual property protections apply in the fluid and increasingly competitive landscape of modern game development. If the injunction is granted, it could immediately bar Tencent from using the Aloy-like character and infringing music in all future promotions, severely limiting their marketing leverage and forcing a substantial pivot for the game. (Source: IGN, Games Fray, PC Gamer)

Expert Review and Industry Implications

The legal tussle underscores a growing tension between major developers protecting their unique IPs and the global trend of game clones, often originating from the highly competitive and fast-moving mobile market. This is a crucial case for Game Review and legal analysts alike, as the lines between “inspired by” and “copied from” are tested in a high-profile forum. The outcome will undoubtedly influence development practices and intellectual property protection strategies across the global gaming market for years to come.