Tencent has paused the testing and marketing activities for Light of Motiram as the Horizon copyright lawsuit is scheduled to be heard in January

Tencent has decided to suspend the promotion and testing phases of the game "Light of Motiram" as it gears up for a critical court case scheduled for next year.

Sony has initiated legal action against Tencent, accusing it of creating a close imitation of its Horizon series. As part of the legal proceedings, Sony sought a preliminary injunction. In response, Tencent committed to suspending any public tests and pausing marketing activities related to its new action game, which is planned for a Q4 2027 release.

In its lawsuit filed in July, Sony pushed for a jury trial, accusing Tencent of copyright and trademark violations. Sony claims that Tencent plans to release a game that heavily borrows from its Horizon franchise, particularly mimicking the lead character Aloy, thereby causing confusion among gamers through Tencent's promotional content.

Following these accusations, Tencent altered "Light of Motiram's" Steam page and promotional materials. However, Tencent has contested the allegations, arguing that Sony is not protecting its intellectual property but rather attempting to monopolize common gaming elements. Tencent asserts their game utilizes longstanding genre features not under Sony's exclusive rights.

In recent developments, Sony has dismissed Tencent's defense as baseless, arguing that the alleged damage "is done – and it continues." Sony also accused Tencent of imitating the distinctive elements of the Horizon series, including hiring the composer of "Horizon Forbidden West," and attempting to ride on the brand’s coattails.

Per The Game Post, both companies have jointly requested that the court extend the briefing timeline and deliberate on the motions to dismiss and the injunction request next month.

The joint filing between Sony and Tencent specifies that no additional promotion or testing of the game will take place until the court rules on the preliminary injunction request, and the release date will remain in Q4 2027. Tencent will also abstain from seeking expedited discovery related to this motion.

The argument from Tencent challenging the injunction is expected to be presented by December 17, with Sony required to respond by January 2. The court proceedings are slated to begin on January 29, 2026.