Over the last few years, Black Panther has become one of Marvel's most profitable superheroes. Originally debuting back in 1966, Black Panther has been around for a long time, but it was his appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that finally made the character a household name. But that hasn't stopped the Protector of Wakanda from cropping up in a few video games over the years, ranging from classic games like Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, to newer titles like Marvel's Avengers. But in the last 57 years, Black Panther has never had his own video game, until now.
Announced just a few days ago, EA is publishing a brand new Black Panther video game, apparently centering solely on the titular hero. With the game still being in very early development, little is known about the project, though based on the developer's pedigree, a system similar to Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis mechanic could make its way over to the game.
Why EA's Black Panther Game Could Have its Own Nemesis System
EA's Black Panther game is being developed by a brand-new studio named Cliffhanger Games. This will be the developer's very first project, but it's far from the first game its employees have worked on before. Cliffhanger Games is comprised of a ton of video game industry veterans, covering all corners of the gaming world. Some notable past games the team has worked on individually include Call of Duty, Halo, and God of War, putting them in a prime position to make a fully-fledged AAA Black Panther video game.
Leading Cliffhanger Games is Kevin Stephens, someone who's been working in the video game industry for a long time now. Stephens' last role was as the studio head of Monolith Productions, the developer behind the critically-acclaimed Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor and its-less acclaimed sequel. Along with Stephens, a number of ex-Monolith devs have apparently joined Cliffhanger Games, and it's only natural that they'd want to use some of their experience when it comes to developing this Black Panther game.
Along with a similar fast-paced, athletic combat system and an emphasis on setting and story, this new Black Panther game might also want to borrow Shadow of Mordor's innovative Nemesis system. For those that haven't played the Middle-Earth games, the Nemesis system sees players receive a randomized assortment of Orc officers and generals to take down. Upon defeating one, the previous Orc rises up the ranks, gaining new powers and abilities. If an Orc defeats the player in battle, they also become more powerful, and earn a top spot as well. Confronting these Orcs can lead to some very unique interactions, with the AI remembering what happened before. A Nemesis system would work perfectly in a superhero game, and more specifically, in this Black Panther title. Rather than Orcs, Black Panther's Nemesis system could revolve around henchman, with each defeat increasing their rank to the point where they could potentially become a minor supervillain.
The only issue with Black Panther using the Nemesis system is that Warner Bros. has technically patented it. This essentially means that any developer not under the Warner Bros. branding can't use Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system, or potentially even one that looks and acts similarly. This patent went into effect in February 2021, and if Warner Bros. keeps paying the fees needed to keep it active, it could remain in effect until 2035 at the earliest. So, with this Black Panther game having nothing to do with Warner Bros., a Nemesis system isn't likely to appear in Black Panther.
Cliffhanger Games' Black Panther is currently in development.