Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor Series Officially Returns

Published Sep 22, 2026, 1:30 PM EDT Ben Brosofsky has been writing for Screen Rant since 2022 and editing since 2024. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor's in Cinema & Media Arts. Writing serves as a much-needed distraction from tackling a backlog of Steam games that will never be surmounted. Sign in to your ScreenRant account The Lord of the Rings has had plenty of interesting video games over the years, and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel Shadow of War are two of the most iconic. Diving into the depths of Sauron's realms, these games offered an action-adventure experience that embraced the grittier side of Tolkien's universe. Almost nine years after the release of Shadow of War, the Middle-earth: Shadow series is set to make a major comeback. While Talion's adventures won't be continuing in a new game, both of the original titles are hitting a new console in just over a week. Today, Aspyr officially revealed the Middle-earth: Shadow Bundle in a trailer on YouTube. This new release brings the Game of the Year Edition of Shadow of Mordor and the Definitive Edition of Shadow of War to the Nintendo Switch 2, with the release date set for September 30, 2026. Right now, the bundle can be pre-ordered digitally for $34.99, a 50% discount off the base price of $69.99 that will go into effect at launch. The games can also be purchased individually with a similar 50% pre-order discount. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition is $9.99 for pre-orders and will go up to $19.99 at launch, while Middle-earth: Shadow of War Definitive Edition is $24.99 for pre-orders and will go up to $49.99 at launch. Due to their age, both Middle-earth: Shadow games should have no trouble running on Nintendo Switch 2, and being able to take them on the go could offer a lot even to those who have already beaten them in the past. Developer Aspyr seems to be fully embracing the potential of porting The Lord of the Rings games, as this release comes hot on the heels of The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition. For Tolkien diehards, the Middle-earth: Shadow games might not be the ideal treatment of the source material, as they aren't exactly the best representation of the themes of his work. For those simply looking to have a fun time, though, there's plenty to love here. The patented Nemesis System remains a special selling point, letting players form personal rivalries with individual orcs who might bear scars from past battles or rise through the ranks as they continue to survive. At any rate, fans have barely more than a week to wait until they can dive into the Nintendo Switch 2 ports of the Middle-earth: Shadow, turning September into an exciting month for The Lord of the Rings. Systems Released September 30, 2014 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence Developer(s) Monolith Publisher(s) Warner Bros. Interactive Engine lithtech Franchise The Lord of the Rings