A Surprise Revival for Middle-earth Fans

More than a decade after its initial release and subsequent removal from digital storefronts, the action RPG The Lord of the Rings: War in the North has made a surprising return to Steam. Originally launched in 2011 to mixed critical reception and lackluster sales, the game was pulled from the platform in early 2019. It has now reappeared as a Legacy Edition, featuring a suite of technical enhancements and quality-of-life updates.


Enhanced Gameplay Experience

The developers have introduced several significant changes to modernize the experience for returning players and newcomers alike. These updates include:

  • Refined target-locking mechanics for enemies.
  • The ability to hot-swap between characters.
  • An improved user interface.
  • A new autosave feature.
  • Comprehensive bug fixes to stabilize performance.

Exploring the Untold Story of the North

The narrative focuses on a side story involving Agandaûr, a minion of Sauron who is assembling a formidable army within the desolate ruins of Fornost. Players are tasked with assembling their own team of three heroes to thwart this threat. The game promises a classic experience, described by the developers as follows:

«Build your own Fellowship of three heroes and confront the growing threat in the North, making your mark on Middle-earth in a grand adventure with visceral, satisfying combat and rich character progression.»

The Role of Embracer Group

While the exact reasons for the game's original removal remained unconfirmed, the return of the title is largely attributed to shifts in ownership. Aspyr, the studio behind this Legacy Edition, is a subsidiary of the Embracer Group, which now holds the rights to Middle-earth Enterprises. As the intellectual property remains under the umbrella of Embracer’s network—even with the upcoming spinoff into a new entity called Fellowship Entertainment—the company appears keen to revitalize older titles from the franchise.


Aspyr has hinted that this is merely the beginning of their efforts, stating that fans can anticipate further classic releases from the beloved fantasy universe in the near future. The Legacy Edition is currently available on Steam with an introductory discount.