Forgotten Lord Of The Rings video game looks like it’s making a comeback
Forgotten Lord Of The Rings video game looks like it’s making a comeback
Fans have stumbled upon hints that an overlooked Lord Of The Rings game might be getting a second chance. The title, which first launched on the Xbox 360, has recently appeared on Steam with a mysterious new name.
Rich legacy of the series
The Lord Of The Rings has a storied history in gaming, offering a range of titles from early 2000s action-adventure fare to 2014’s Shadow Of Mordor. Other entries include strategy games like The Battle Of Middle-earth 2 and turn-based RPGs such as The Third Age, but recent releases have struggled to match the quality of earlier entries.
2023’s The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum, for instance, was widely criticized, marking a low point for the franchise. Yet, signs suggest a return to form may be on the horizon.
Clues point to a remaster
Reddit user JudgmentKazz uncovered that the Steam metadata for 2011’s The Lord Of The Rings: War In The North has been altered to ‘Slinky’. While the reason remains unclear, this could signal the start of a new project.
Inspecting the Cloud saves section on SteamDB reveals a folder named ‘Aspyr’, a studio renowned for remastering titles. Recent work includes the Legacy Of Kain collection and Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered, hinting at their possible involvement in this revival.
Original game details
The Lord Of The Rings: War In The North was initially created by Snowblind Studios, known for Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance. The studio later merged with Monolith Soft, the developer of Shadow Of Mordor. The game was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with Aspyr having no prior connection to it.
Choosing War In The North for a remaster seems unusual. It features three playable characters—a Ranger, a Dwarf, and an Elf—but none are based on Peter Jackson’s film characters. Its main appeal was supporting multiplayer co-op play.
Why now? Licensing and history
The decision to remaster this title might stem from its lack of licensing conflicts. Unlike newer games, it doesn’t rely on movie actors’ likenesses. It was also one of the first Lord Of The Rings titles under Warner Bros. Games, which took over rights from Electronic Arts and Vivendi in 2009.
Still, the choice feels strange. The game received mixed reviews and underperformed commercially, leaving many with little nostalgia for it. If Aspyr is behind the project, the changes may be minimal, given their history with online support issues, as seen in the troubled launch of Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection.
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