A new leak shared online suggests that "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North" is getting a fresh release after over a decade since it last dropped.
The database entry points toward a possible remaster or remake of the original 2011 action RPG rather than a brand-new story set in Middle-earth.
'Lord of the Rings: War in the North' Leaks Online
The SteamDB listing indicates the game will release on PC and will likely run on Unreal Engine, based on an EpicOnlineServices SDK included in the entry. The listing is tagged with co-op, local co-op, and singleplayer options, mirroring the original game's mix of solo and multiplayer support.
This release will be called "Lord of the Rings: War in the North — Legacy Edition," with the "Legacy Edition" being the indication that it is the modern version.
While the listing itself appears legitimate, its exact timing remains unclear, since the database entry was originally added back in 2023 before recently being updated. That update is what drew fresh attention to the possibility of a re-release, though neither Warner Bros. nor a current developer has confirmed anything publicly yet.
'Lord of the Rings: War in the North' New Release
Based on the "Legacy Edition" naming and the listing's technical details, this appears to be shaping up as a remaster or remake of the original game built for modern hardware using Unreal Engine rather than an entirely new "War in the North" story. Whether the release will extend beyond PC to consoles remains unknown, since the current leak only points to a Steam listing so far.
The original "War in the North" was pulled from digital storefronts back in 2018 due to licensing issues tied to the Tolkien Estate, and it's likely that Warner Bros.' original publishing agreement expired around that time as well.
A modernized version could help address some of the game's most persistent criticisms, since the original launch was plagued by considerable bugs and glitches, along with repetitive combat that drew criticism from players and critics alike.
What to Expect From 'LOTR: War in the North'
"The Lord of the Rings: War in the North" originally launched in 2011, developed by Snowblind Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.
The game is an action RPG played from a third-person perspective, letting players choose between three heroes: a Ranger named Eradan, a Dwarf named Farin, and an Elf named Andriel, each with distinct weapons and abilities.
Set alongside the events of Tolkien's original trilogy, the story follows this original trio of heroes on a separate mission taking place in the north of Middle-earth, running parallel to the Fellowship's own journey rather than directly crossing paths with it.
Despite that connection to Tolkien's beloved world, the game struggled commercially, never reaching a million copies sold, and it carries a Metacritic score of 61, making it a somewhat "mid" game based on reviews on the site.
Snowblind Studios itself was merged into Monolith Productions in 2012, just a year after the game's release. With few "Lord of the Rings" games released since, and the franchise's last major title being the poorly received "Lord of the Rings: Gollum," a properly polished revival of "War in the North" could give fans a more solid entry to return to while they wait for future announcements.
