Warner Bros.' push to curb second-hand sales led to a groundbreaking game mechanic

In brief: The Middle-Earth games from the recently closed studio Monolith are largely known for the unique Nemesis system, which procedurally generated new enemy behavior based on the player's actions. Critics praised Monolith for its creativity, but a former Warner Bros executive recently revealed that the design actually emerged from a very pragmatic goal – discouraging players from trading their games in.

In a recent video that was quickly removed, former WB Games vice president Laura Fryer revealed the inspiration behind an innovative game mechanic from Monolith's Middle-earth games. Although players often criticize game companies for using gimmicks to further monetize their products, the same goal was behind the creation of the well-regarded Nemesis system.

The first in a duology of action-adventure games set in J. R. R. Tolkien's world, 2014's Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, was developed during a time when large publishers frequently complained about second-hand ...