Warner Bros Discovery recently shut down a trio of game studios, including the well-regarded Monolith Productions. This has put one of the coolest game mechanics of the 2010s in limbo. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor's excellent Nemesis system is locked behind a patent owned by Warner Bros all the way until 2036,

Warner Bros will retain the rights to Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system until 2036 The system was set to be used in Monolith Productions' Wonder Woman game Warner Bros shut down Monolith this week, leaving the Nemesis system to be unusable by any other studio for another 11 years Warner Bros.

Shadow of Mordor’s Nemesis System was a transformative gimmick that gave the Assassin’s Creed-like game a unique edge. However, with Warner Bros. Games shutting down developer Monolith, this brilliant mechanic will remain locked away for another 11 years.