Warner Bros closes three development studios, locks Monolith's Nemesis system behind patent

Feb 28, 2025

WB closes three studios and patents Nemesis system, leaving it unused.

Warner Bros closes three development studios, locks Monolith's Nemesis system behind patent

: Warner Bros announced the closure of three gaming studios, including Monolith Productions, known for the Nemesis system in the Middle-earth series. The Nemesis system, patented by WB in 2016, manages NPCs with unique interactions and responds to player actions but is now unused. Despite earlier work on a Wonder Woman game, its project is canceled due to Monolith's shutdown, drawing criticism from industry professionals.

Warner Bros has decided to shut down three game development studios, namely Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB Games San Diego, due to a strategic shift. Monolith was highly recognized for its innovative Nemesis system, used in its Middle-earth series, which allowed procedural generation of complex enemy interactions.

The Nemesis system, patented by Warner Bros in 2016, prevents other developers from using this advanced AI approach until the patent expires in 2036. This move has led to discontent in the gaming community, especially since no projects currently utilize this technology.

Despite Monolith's efforts to implement the Nemesis system in a Wonder Woman game, the studio's closure discontinued its development. Industry observers, like journalist Scott Robertson, have voiced frustrations over Warner Bros' decision to halt the progression of such a groundbreaking AI system.