How GameStop And Used Games Inspired Shadow Of Mordor’s Nemesis System

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This year, Warner Bros. shut down Monolith Productions, the studio responsible for creating 2014’s Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel from 2017, Middle-earth: Shadow of War. The Lord of the Rings games were cherished by fans due to Monolith’s groundbreaking Nemesis system, a sophisticated AI program that enabled Non-Player Characters (NPCs) to recall their past interactions with the player’s character and adapt accordingly, as explained by former Warner Bros. Games vice president Laura Fryer. It is worth noting that the development of the Nemesis system was partially sparked by declining sales for Batman: Arkham Asylum.

In a recent video posted on her YouTube channel (as reported by PC Gamer), Fryer discussed her past experiences with Monolith while working for Warner Bros. Games. According to Fryer, Warner Bros. was concerned when sales of Arkham Asylum started dropping from their peak. Company officials speculated that significant revenue was lost due to the sale of used copies of the game in second-hand markets like GameStop.

According to Fryer, Arkham Asylum from Rocksteady was selling exceptionally well when it was launched in 2009. However, sales unexpectedly plummeted. This decline was noticed because the data from their game analytics indicated that more people were playing the game than were actually purchasing it. The assumption was that players would complete the game and then return the disc to a retailer like GameStop for cash, which was quite popular back then. This was advantageous for gamers as they could buy the game, sell it, and use the money on another purchase. It also benefited stores like GameStop since they could resell the used game at a discount while still earning profit. However, game developers faced massive losses because they weren’t compensated for each copy sold, only for the initial one. They ended up losing millions of dollars due to this practice.

Arkham City, known as DLC, was unlocked solely for the original game owner. On the other hand, instead of following suit to keep players engaged, Monolith introduced the Nemesis system as a unique approach.

Reflecting on the game “Shadow of Mordor,” Fryer reminisced, “We encountered a similar challenge: designing a single-player game so captivating that players would never part with it. We realized Monolith’s engine wasn’t ready for a fully open world like GTA, and this team wasn’t keen on multiplayer. Yet, we needed to find a solution within these limitations. It was this dilemma that sparked the creation of the Nemesis system – a groundbreaking and incredibly exciting game feature that has left a lasting impression in recent gaming history.

At the time, it was widely believed that gamers would be hesitant to give up their arch-enemies from Shadow of Mordor. This was one reason why Shadow of War enabled players to carry over some of their enemies from the initial game. Despite their success, neither game may have stopped players from selling their copies completely. However, the surge in digital games, which cannot be resold, has had a substantial impact on the secondhand market for video games.

Before it ceased operations, Monolith had been developing a Wonder Woman video game, incorporating the Nemesis system for the main character’s interactions with non-playable characters as she formed friendships. However, this game was never released due to Monolith’s shutdown, and the Nemesis system is currently patented and protected until 2036. In theory, Warner Bros. could allow another developer to use the Nemesis system. But so far, nothing of that sort has transpired.

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2025-03-24 18:39