Since 1994, Monolith Productions has been taking players on some wild adventures across a wide assortment of universes. The studio has delivered on the likes of Tron 2.0, The Matrix Online, F.E.A.R, and Aliens Versus Predator 2. While many of those titles led to some memorable moments, the studio’s most iconic games came in the form of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel, which took players on an incredible journey through Tolkien’s world. However, with Monolith’s closure in February 2025, players may never get to see what comes next.
Besides the loss of an incredible studio, another major ramification from this closure may be the loss of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor‘s unique Nemesis System. This system went a long way in making these games truly standout, as it helped make each player’s journey feel unique to them. Sadly, due to the closure of the studio and Warner Bros. patenting of the system, players may have to wait a long time before they see another game utilizing it.
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Monolith’s Nemesis System Deserves to Live On in Some Form
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Was a Game-Changer
Not many players knew what to expect from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor when it launched back in 2014. At first glance, it looked like it was just going to be simply a new original story within J. R. R. Tolkien’s world, with many similarities to other action-adventure games. While the core gameplay may not have been a game-changer, the Nemesis System really was, and through it, Monolith Productions crafted a pretty special duology.
The Nemesis System made it so that the NPCs of the world actually remembered and reacted to previous encounters with the player. The game would track the specific actions of Uruk that littered the world, and depending upon what they accomplished, they would be promoted to captains. Killing these captains would help weaken Sauron’s army, but if said captains killed the player, then they would gain power and unlock new talents. Additionally, Uruks that survived their encounter with the player would remember it — some could be disfigured depending upon what the player did to them — and players could also cause infighting between the Uruk forces.
The Nemesis System Has Been Locked Down Ever Since
The Nemesis System would be further expanded in Middle-earth: Shadow of War, giving these captains far more life and also allowing players to build their own little army. All of this continued to make for a fantastic feature, with many players clamoring for it to be carried over to other games. However, Warner Bros. ended up patenting this specific system, which prevented other studios from using it. And since 2017, the system has not appeared in any other title, including those released by Warner Bros. Games.
Warner Bros. now owns the rights to the Nemesis System until 2036, with no news on when the studio plans to use the system again. There were rumors that Monolith Productions’ Wonder Woman game was going to utilize it in some fashion, but with the closure of the studio, players will never get to see what that game could be. Couple that with the lack of use since 2017, and it feels like the Nemesis System may simply go unused for the duration of the patent.
However, this system is too good to be left gathering dust. It helped make the Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor series stand out, and it could do wonders for a wide assortment of IPs. As long as it was integrated well, it could create even more unforgettable adventures. Hopefully, there are plans to use it sometime in the near future. If not, then maybe Warner Bros. should consider giving up the patent.
- Released
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September 30, 2014
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence