Two new Lord of the Rings games are finally coming to Nintendo Switch 2
There seems to be no shortage of Lord of the Rings stories finding their way back to Middle-earth. “The Hunt for Gollum” is in production, “The Rings of Power” further expands Tolkien’s world, and Warner Bros. is developing another Lord of the Rings film with Stephen Colbert and Peter Jackson.
Even classics are experiencing a renaissance; for example, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North recently returned to modern consoles. Now, two of the most acclaimed Lord of the Rings games of the last decade are finally coming to a Nintendo console.
Aspyr announced on Tuesday the release of the Middle-earth: Shadow Bundle, which includes Middle-earth: Shadow of War and Middle-earth: Shadow of War for Nintendo Switch 2. The bundle will be released on September 30th and offers Nintendo players the opportunity to experience both games in one package.
The bundle includes the Game of the Year Edition of Shadow of Mordor and the Definitive Edition of Shadow of War. It therefore contains the most important story expansions and additional downloadable content. The games are also available individually. The bundle normally costs €69.99/$69.99, but pre-orders are currently available for a limited time at the promotional price of €34.99/$34.99.
What are the Lord of the Rings: Shadow of Mordor games about?
In case you somehow missed them: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War are open-world action games set in Tolkien’s Middle-earth, but they don’t retell the events of The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings. Instead, they tell an original story about Mordor, Sauron, and a new protagonist who gets caught up in the war against the Dark Lord.
In the first game, you take on the role of Talion, a Ranger of Gondor, who, along with his family, is killed during the attack by Sauron’s forces through the Black Gate. Through an unlikely connection with the mysterious spirit Celebrimbor, the Elven smith who forged the Rings of Power, Talion is brought back to life. Together, they roam Mordor, with Talion utilizing Celebrimbor’s abilities to confront Sauron’s forces.
The sequel picks up where Talion and Celebrimbor are attempting to forge a new Ring of Power and raise an army capable of challenging Sauron. This ultimately leads to the game’s massive fortress assaults, where players can recruit orcs, exploit rivalries, and build their own army in Mordor.
Neither game is a direct sequel to Tolkien’s novels. Instead, they draw on established characters, locations, and mythology from Middle-earth and weave them into a new story set around the events of Tolkien’s books. As a result, Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War have significantly more freedom in shaping their setting than a direct adaptation could offer.
The greatest advantage of the Mordor games lay in the ability to survive with Talion, remember past battles, and rise through the ranks. An orc who kills you can become a recurring rival, while a defeated orc can be brought under his control and recruited into your army.
This system ensures that each player customizes their version of Mordor, thus experiencing a particularly personal adventure in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings world. Added to this are the open-world exploration, brutal combat, stealth mechanics, supernatural abilities, and massive battles of Shadow of War – the two games therefore offer completely different ways to experience Middle-earth.
