Warner Bros. Shuts Down Monolith Productions, Locks Nemesis System Patent Until 2036

The closure of Monolith leaves the gaming industry without its innovative studio, while Warner Bros. retains exclusive rights to the groundbreaking Nemesis System.

Monolith Productions, the studio behind the acclaimed Nemesis System and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, has been shut down by Warner Bros. as part of a broader restructuring of its gaming division.
The Nemesis System, celebrated for its dynamic enemy interactions, remains patented by Warner Bros. until 2036, effectively preventing other developers from using similar mechanics.
Monolith had been working on a Wonder Woman game featuring the Nemesis System, but the project was canceled following the studio's closure.
Warner Bros. has faced significant criticism from the gaming community for locking the Nemesis System behind a patent while not utilizing it in new games since 2017's Shadow of War.
The decision to shutter Monolith comes amid Warner Bros.' focus on established franchises like Batman, Mortal Kombat, and Harry Potter, following financial losses on recent projects.