Over the past few years, Monolith Productions has faced an incredibly bumpy ride, unlike many other studios. In October 2017, they launched the second installment of their Middle-earth series, which garnered both critical acclaim and massive commercial success. This game sold over 10 million copies, much like a movie that becomes a box office sensation.
It was perhaps thought that they would keep expanding the “The Lord of the Rings” franchise, but instead, Monolith had different ambitions in mind.
As a cinema enthusiast, I was thrilled when they decided to create an entirely new Intellectual Property, codenamed “Legacy.” This project aimed to take their groundbreaking and patent-protected Nemesis System to new heights with deeper storytelling. It had great potential—until Warner Bros. abruptly cancelled it in April 2021, causing a wave of disruption.
The termination had disastrous consequences. Subsequently, the entire management team at Monolith, including studio head Kevin Stephens, stepped down, and more than 50 employees left shortly thereafter. However, following this mass exodus, an unforeseen event took place: several of these skilled professionals came together to form Cliffhanger Games in 2023. Their ongoing project, a single-player Black Panther game, could potentially preserve traces of Monolith’s procedural storytelling tradition.
At Monolith, the focus transitioned towards restoration by mid-2021. They embarked on the project of “Wonder Woman”, revealing a sneak peek at The Game Awards in December. The task was daunting: they were required to create a new game while simultaneously rebuilding their team – a task comparable to crafting a masterpiece using shattered tools.
The advancement hit a snag. A dispute arose concerning whether to switch to Unreal Engine or continue using their own technology, a system they’ve been refining since F.E.A.R.’s time. They opted for the latter, but faced ongoing challenges primarily due to the fact that most skilled engineers who could manage it had already departed.
By the end of 2023, Wonder Woman encountered a major obstacle. It appears that a reboot costing approximately $100 million is in the works, featuring a new director and a transition from an open-world game with a Nemesis system to a more traditional action-adventure format similar to classic PlayStation games like God of War.
Updates grew scarce, hinting at deeper troubles.
On February 25, 2025, Warner Bros. Games made a significant announcement, declaring the shutdown of Monolith Productions along with Player First Games and WB Games San Diego. The development of Wonder Woman was halted, resulting in the unemployment of approximately 130 Seattle-based employees.
It appears that developers found out about the decision on Tuesday, just a few hours before it was made public, marking an unexpected end to a 31-year journey with sudden finality. Warner Bros. explained this move as a strategic shift towards established franchises such as Harry Potter and Mortal Kombat – a trend that indicates a focus on safety over innovation, a lesson Rocksteady learned the hard way with their ill-fated Justice League project. The project failed as a live-service title in 2024, costing the company $200 million.
The data shows a prevalent pattern across the industry, as more than 25,000 gaming positions have been cut since 2023, due to publishers’ growing preference for established intellectual properties (IPs) over new, unproven projects.
What does this reveal?
Monolith’s daring chase after something akin to ‘Legacy’ collided with Warner Bros.’ more traditional perspective, leading to a tumultuous series of events. Essentially, ‘Wonder Woman’ was an endeavor to rescue a struggling enterprise, but it was ultimately overwhelmed by the internal chaos within.
Despite the current challenges with Cliffhanger Games, there remains a glimmer of optimism as this studio is led by former Monolith developers. They could potentially revive the essence of their past groundbreaking creations and possibly find a way around Warner Bros.’ Nemesis System patent. This potential scenario presents a faint but encouraging prospect.
Monolith’s tale is a blend of bold ingenuity and corporate oversights. Their collection – F.E.A.R., Shadow of Mordor, and others – earned them a spot in video game lore. However, Warner Bros.’ mishandling ultimately led to their downfall.
The shutdown of Monolith Productions serves as a warning story about suppressing ambition for more secure choices. With Monolith’s departure, focus shifts towards Cliffhanger Games, where we await the continuation of this tale.
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2025-03-01 22:55