Monolith Productions, a well-regarded game studio that was associated with Warner Bros. Games until the recent multi-studio closure, has a rich legacy spanning over three decades. The studio is known for creating iconic titles such as Blood, No One Lives Forever, Shogo: Mobile Armor Division, and F.E.A.R., as well as the acclaimed Lord of the Rings games, Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War.

These titles, inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, featured the innovative “Nemesis System.” This unique mechanic allows enemies that defeat players or survive battles to level up, develop their own strengths and weaknesses, and become integral parts of the game’s narrative. Monolith’s upcoming project, Wonder Woman, was teased over three years ago and was expected to utilize the Nemesis System.

With the cancellation of Wonder Woman, it appears that no new games will incorporate the Nemesis System for quite some time, likely until August 2036. This is due to the patent, identified as US2016279522A1, which governs the use of “Nemesis characters, nemesis forts, social vendettas, and followers in video games.” Any future titles wanting to include similar gameplay elements would need to navigate potential legal issues, whether by altering their concepts sufficiently, obtaining a license from Warner Bros., or risking scrutiny from Warner’s legal team.

The recent layoffs that affected talented developers are regrettable, but the fact that one of Monolith’s most significant innovations remains locked away for over a decade post-closure adds another layer of disappointment.

Avoiding a Crazy Taxi Situation

While it’s eye-catching that WB Games received this patent, it’s not entirely unexpected. For two decades, Namco held a patent on loading screen mini-games despite such concepts existing beforehand. Similar patents have also been granted for elements like the Mass Effect dialogue wheel and the “sanity meter” in Eternal Darkness. The situation with Crazy Taxi highlights how patent disputes can stifle creativity, as demonstrated when Sega attempted to litigate against The Simpsons: Road Rage to safeguard its revenue, settling the matter out of court.