Gamers think a new ‘Shadow Of Mordor’ game is coming – but not for a good reason

27 February, 2025

'Middle-earth: Shadow Of Mordor'.

Fans think a new Middle-earth: Shadow Of Mordor game is on the way and they couldn’t be less excited.

The original Middle-earth: Shadows Of Mordor was released in 2014. The action-adventure game told an original story set between the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring.

The game also used Monolith Production’s Nemesis System, which used artificial intelligence to allow NPCs to remember their prior encounters with you. The sequel Middle-earth: Shadow Of War was released in 2017.

Yesterday (February 26), it was announced that Warner Bros. Games would be shutting down Monolith and scrapping their Wonder Woman game. MultiVersus developers Player First Games were also shut down, as was WB Games San Diego. It’s since been reported that despite this move, Monolith’s Nemesis System will remain Warner Bros’ property until at least 2036.

However some fans are worried the company will make a new Shadow Of Mordor game just to maintain the patent rights to the Nemesis System. Warner Bros. filed a patent for the Nemesis System in 2016 and it was finally approved in 2021.

“Warner Bros owns the patent to the Nemesis System until 2036,” wrote Culture Crave on X. “Look forward to Shadow of Mordor Reforged(tm) with 0 effort put into it, somehow running worse than the original with ALL NEW microtransactions, just so they can retain the patent. Coming 31st of December 2035,” replied one fan. “Game mechanics should not be patentable. Patent terrorism,” said another.

Warner Bros. has yet to use the Nemesis System in another game and despite some game developers believing the patent is so broad, it’ll be unenforceable, no other developer has tried to recreate something similar.

Explaining their decision to shut down Monolith, Warner Bros. said: “We need to make some substantial changes to our portfolio/team structure if we are to commit the necessary resources to get back to a ‘fewer but bigger franchises’ strategy.” At the end of 2024, the company said it was going to refocus on four core franchises –  Mortal Kombat, Batman, Harry Potter and Game Of Thrones. 

In other news Bear McCreary, the celebrated composer behind the music for God Of War and Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, has announced a London headline gig as part of a European tour.

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