The Nemesis system, founded by Warner Bros. titles Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel, is a feature that the gaming community has always wanted other developers to use since its inception in 2014. However, it has never happened in the seven years since. , and this is because the publisher has successfully patented the mechanic in question. News of this has erupted over the past week, but after multiple unsuccessful attempts, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will enforce the patent from February 23, 2021. Warner Bros. may choose to maintain it until 2035.
The patent covers: “Nemesis characters, nemesis forte, social vendettas and fans in computer games”. Effectively, another developer cannot copy the Nemesis system as before. You can do this by creating your own feature and dressing it up with your own phrases and terms – the Dial Wheel in Mass Effect is one well-known example. BioWare has the patent for the RPG’s specific dialogue wheel, but it has not stopped games from using branching dialogue choices since. It’s all about how you present it. However, the actions taken by Warner Bros. to patent the mechanic do not yet set a particularly positive precedent.
John Wick Hex and Volume Creator Mike Bithell took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the matterand said: “It’s really rough, especially for a franchise that has built its brilliant nemesis system on top of a whole bunch of mechanics, repeated from other games. Like all games do. Because that’s how culture and creativity work. Be a better neighbor, WB. “Meanwhile, Alanah Pearce, an employee of Sony Santa Monica, shared her own thoughts in the video above. The general gaming community also did not take too much action with the actions of Warner Bros. that patenting of game can cause a worrying trend of other companies.
There are ways to bypass patents, but if there is such a huge roadblock that blocks some of your roads, it may deter smaller indie teams from even trying to create something of their own in the first place. How do you react to this? Share your thoughts in the comments below.