Aspyr Brings Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War to Switch 2 in September Bundle

Key points

• Aspyr Media announced the Nintendo Switch 2 release of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War on September 22, 2026.
• The games will be available as the Middle-earth: Shadow Bundle on September 30, 2026, for $70, with a 50% discount bringing the price to $35 until October 6, 2026.
• The bundle includes all post-launch DLC, such as story expansions and Nemesis Expansions, but the Shadow of War version is optimized for offline play, excluding online content like Conquests and Vendettas.
• This marks the first native current-generation console release for both titles, which were originally developed by Monolith Productions.
• Aspyr confirmed that more Lord of the Rings remasters are in development, following the August 2026 release of The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Legacy Edition.

Background

In August 2026, Aspyr Media released a Legacy Edition of The Lord of the Rings: War in the North and indicated that additional classic titles from the franchise would be remastered. The current announcement expands this initiative to include the Middle-earth: Shadow series, which was developed by Monolith Productions before the studio was shuttered by Warner Bros. Games in 2025. New Lord of the Rings projects are also in development, including an RPG from Warhorse and another from Crystal Dynamics.

How outlets are covering it

GameSpot highlighted the bundle's pricing and the inclusion of DLC content, noting the lack of technical specifics for the Switch 2 versions. Gamingbible emphasized the offline-only nature of the Shadow of War port, detailing the exclusion of online features like Conquests and Vendettas, and noted the patent status of the Nemesis System. Ixbt.games focused on the bundle's release date and the broader context of Lord of the Rings games moving to portable platforms.

Why it matters

The release brings two highly regarded RPGs to a new platform, offering players access to the Nemesis System, which was patented by Warner Bros. in 2016 and is expected to expire in 2036. The move also signals Aspyr's continued strategy of remastering classic Lord of the Rings titles, potentially revitalizing interest in the franchise ahead of new game releases.

What to watch

The Middle-earth: Shadow Bundle will be available on September 30, 2026. Aspyr has indicated that more Lord of the Rings remasters are in the works, though no specific titles or dates have been announced. The Nemesis System patent is expected to expire in 2036, potentially allowing other developers to use similar mechanics in the future.