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

In 2014, Monolith Productions introduced its Nemesis system in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. That AI procedural program allowed this Lord of the Rings game and its 2017 sequel, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, to feature enemies who remembered previous encounters with the players' character and evolved accordingly. Unfortunately, with the recent closure of Monolith and two other studios owned by Warner Bros., it may be a very long time before another video game utilizes the Nemesis system.

As reported by journalist Stephen Totilo, Monolith's Nemesis system patent--which remains the property of Warner Bros.--was filed in 2016, and it won't expire until August 11, 2036. The only way the patent could be officially abandoned beforehand is if Warner Bros. fails to pay the associated fees to keep it active.

The Wonder Woman video game was canceled with the closure of Monolith. Had that game been finished, it would have been only the third title to utilize the Nemesis system. Presumably that would have involved Wonder Woman making friends, allies, and enemies over the course of the game's story. However, there was a report earlier this year that Wonder Woman had a troubled development and it was said to be over $100 million in the hole and far from finished.

While players on social media mourned the apparent loss of the Nemesis system for the next 11 years, attorney Richard Hoeg pointed out that WB could potentially license the patent out to another gaming publisher or developer. And in light of the reported losses at Monolith, that may be the only way Warner Bros. will recoup some of its investment.

Former Wonder Woman comic book writer Gail Simone was a consultant on Monolith's Wonder Woman game, and she shared a heartfelt eulogy for the game. It would have been Wonder Woman's first solo video game if it had been completed.