As one of the most beloved worlds ever created in any form of fiction, it’s only natural that the world ofMiddle-Earthhas been explored many times in video games. Movie adaptations, a MOBA title, and a slew of action RPGs are all different games that have given fans a digital version of Tolkien’sMiddle-Earth. The most recent outings,Shadow of MordorandShadow of War, were expansive visions of Mordor itself, and the upcomingLord of the Rings: Gollumwill allow players to explore the world of Middle-Earth from a rarely-seen perspective.Gollumhas fans excited about its potential, but even more so for the prospect of moreMiddle-Earthgames.
Games like the movie tie-ins and theupcomingLord of the Rings: Gollumcan be great ways for fans to experience the core story of the franchise in unique ways. Even the fairly straightforwardTwo Towersadaptation on the PS2 was enjoyed by many fans as a fun way for two players to experience the greatest battles in the movie. However, so much of what makes Tolkien’s world so enticing for creators is the absolutely monolithic scale of its lore.The Silmarillionalone covers eons of Middle-Earth’s lore in such a descriptive and expansive way that it can often feel like reading some kind of enormous religious text.Shadow of Mordorwas a testament to the desire fans have to experience different time periods within Middle-Earth’s history, and it’s only really scratched the surface.
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When and Where a New Middle-Earth Game Could Go
Shadow of Mordorwas an interesting first for the franchise. Creating a brand new character in Talion and then tying his story so directly into the world’s lore was a unique challenge, especially with a property that’s so beloved by its fans. The experiment proved successful in many ways, though. Both games in the series were huge and packed with things for players to discover, including bits of lore that were many fans' first experience with the deeper relationships between Sauron, Shelob, and Celebrimbor. That’s something that will be essential to any futureMiddle-Earthgame. With so manybooks for aMiddle-Earthgame to pull inspiration from, giving more casual fans a slow and steady drip of information about the backstory that’s tied to in-game progression the wayShadow of Wardoes is something critical.
Another core lesson to learn from its predecessors is more mechanical, but adds to the storytelling in a big way. There are many eras throughout the history of Middle-Earth to potentially explore, but it’s likely that a time period rife with conflict would likely be the first choice. A game set during the first war against Sauron could make great use ofShadow of War’sNemesis System, especially now that it’s copyrighted by WB. Using that format could help establish relationships with the enemy factions in a similar way toShadow of War. Given that a game set during that conflict could theoretically make use a of a custom character, it could help to ground a player-created character in the game’s narrative in a big way. The first war against Sauron saw elves, humans, and dwarves join forces in a way they never truly would again, and that would set up interesting possibilities.
It’s more likely that a new protagonist like Talion would be created to facilitate the narrative of a newMiddle-Earthgame, but that’s not the only option. Given the nature of the first conflict with Sauron, it could be interesting to see a game feature custom characters. The three main races inLord of the Ringscould all serve as bases for a customizable character with various classes or roles much in the vein ofDnD. A mix of more traditional RPG elements fromDnDwith theaction-centric skills fromShadow of Waron top of a system for character creation could create a really unique experience in a newMiddle-Earthgame.
Especially if custom characters are utilized, the biggest thing that veteran fans will want is a tie directly to the expansive lore already present. Luckily the history ofMiddle-Earth is rife with eventsto pull from, but it’s always a tenuous task with how well-loved the original stories have become.Shadow of Wardid a good job of this by the end with tying Talion to the Nazgul and the Witch-King in a major way that felt natural and addressed the main issue original prequel content can run into. Placing a new character into an already well-established world creates issues when they become powerful or important in their own right. A good example is how Cal Kestis is likely going to meet a tragic fate at some point to explain his absence throughout the coreStar Warscanon.
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The Less Likely Possibilities for Middle-Earth
Tying the events of an original story into the largerLord of the Ringscanon will be the litmus test for a newMiddle-Earthgame. The history isLord of the Ringsgames is somewhat divisive, and this is nearly unavoidable given the fervor many fans have for the franchise. But this also presents a unique opportunity as many fans would chomp at the bit for a chance to truly explore some of the oldest events in the series' history. One interesting but unlikely possibility that’s been somewhat teased inShadow of Warwould be a chance to experience some of the franchises' villains on their road to becoming truly evil.
Shadow of Warlet players discover shreds of Shelob’s memories that showed the slow turn of Sauron and herself to the side of evil in the realm. Despite his status as one of the most iconic villains in history, not even Sauron was evil at first. Many of his worst deeds were done with cold logic also, and the corrupted lord felt justified in his deeds. The force of evil inLord of the Ringsnearly infected Galadriel, and even Gandalf was afraid to bear the One Ring for fear of the temptation to use its power. However unlikely, a game that uses many of the previousMiddle-Earth’s mechanics could be put to good use in a game that explores Sauron’s descent into darkness. Either way, as one of the most beloved franchises in history, and the success ofShadow of Warbehind it, many fans are eager to hear news about a newMiddle-Earthgame.
No newMiddle-Earthgame is confirmed to be in development, butLord of the Rings: Gollumis slated to launch in 2022 on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
