Monolith’s Shadow Of Mordor Nemesis System Patent Doesn’t Expire For Another Decade

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2014 saw the debut of Monolith Productions’ Nemesis system in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, a Lord of the Rings game. This AI-driven system enabled the game, along with its 2017 sequel, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, to incorporate enemies who adapted to their interactions with the player’s character based on past encounters. Sadly, due to the recent shutdown of Monolith and two other Warner Bros.-owned studios, it might take a considerable amount of time for another video game to adopt the Nemesis system.

According to journalist Stephen Totilo, the Nemesis system patent owned by Warner Bros., which was filed back in 2016 and won’t expire until August 11, 2036, can only be officially terminated prematurely if Warner Bros. neglects to pay the necessary fees to maintain its active status.

Warner Bros.’ patent on the nemesis system is set to expire on August 11, 2036.

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— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo.bsky.social) February 25, 2025 at 11:49 AM

The video game based on Wonder Woman, which was under development by Monolith, has been canceled. If completed, it would have been one of only three games to employ the Nemesis system, allowing players to form friendships, alliances, and rivalries throughout the game’s narrative. Regrettably, earlier this year, rumors surfaced suggesting that the development of Wonder Woman was fraught with difficulties and the project was reportedly over $100 million in debt, far from completion.

For more than a decade, players on social media expressed their sorrow over the presumed disappearance of the Nemesis system. However, lawyer Richard Hoeg suggested that Warner Bros. might grant the patent to another game publisher or developer in the future. Given the financial losses at Monolith, this could be the only means for Warner Bros. to recover some of its investment.

Until then, it’s under the control of WB. Whether it remains hidden or not depends on their decision. Regularly, they grant licenses for patents to be used elsewhere.

— Richard Hoeg (@HoegLaw) February 26, 2025

As a dedicated gamer myself, I’ve got to share some insider info: Gail Simone, who penned many a tale of the iconic Wonder Woman in comic books, was a consultant for Monolith’s take on our beloved Amazonian warrior. If it had been finished, this game would have marked her first solo video game adventure – quite a milestone! Alas, Gail recently paid a touching tribute to the unfinished project, reminding us all of what could have been.

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2025-02-26 19:09