Games: Shadow of Mordor GOTY Edition · Shadow of War Definitive Edition
Publisher (Switch 2): Aspyr
Original Developer: Monolith Productions
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2
Released: Out now
Launch Sale: 50% off through October 5
⚠️ Shadow of War Is Offline-Only on Switch 2
The Switch 2 version of Shadow of War is optimised for offline play, which means several online features are gone: Online Conquests, Vendettas, Fight Pits, Chests and Training Orders are unavailable.
The good news: your Garrison is fully playable offline, so you can still reassign undeployed Orc followers across regions on the go. If online Vendettas were a big part of how you played the original, though, know that they aren’t here.
💍 Both Middle-earth games are out now on Nintendo Switch 2 — the first time the series has appeared on a Nintendo platform — with every previously released expansion included, and 50% off until October 5.
⚖️ The Nemesis System Still Has No Equal
Nearly a decade after Shadow of War, the thing that made these games special has never really been replicated: the Nemesis System.
It generates distinct orc enemies who level up, adapt to how you fight, and hold grudges. The Uruk who killed you comes back stronger and remembers it. The one you humiliated returns scarred and furious. Every player ends up with their own cast of villains and their own stories about them.
Warner Bros. famously patented the system, and Monolith Productions — the studio that created it — was closed by Warner Bros. in 2025. There isn’t a new Nemesis game on the horizon. So for Switch 2 owners, these ports aren’t just a chance to revisit a pair of good action games. They’re a chance to experience one of the most inventive systems in modern game design on a Nintendo platform for the first time, at home or in handheld mode.
Your enemies remember you. Now they’re portable.
Aspyr has released Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition and Middle-earth: Shadow of War Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch 2, available individually or together as the Middle-earth: Shadow Bundle. Both include all of their previously released downloadable content.
Originally developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Shadow of Mordor won more than 50 awards, including Game of the Year, Best Action/Adventure Game and Outstanding Innovation in Gaming.
What It Costs — and a Quick Tip
Edition
Launch Price
Regular Price
Middle-earth: Shadow Bundle (both games)
$34.99
$69.99
Shadow of Mordor — Game of the Year Edition
$9.99
$19.99
Shadow of War — Definitive Edition
$24.99
$49.99
💡 The Bundle Doesn’t Save You Anything Extra
Do the maths and the two games bought separately cost $34.98 during the launch sale — a cent less than the $34.99 bundle. At regular prices it’s the same story: $19.99 plus $49.99 is essentially the bundle’s $69.99.
So buy whichever suits you. If you only want one game, there’s no penalty for skipping the bundle. If you want both, the price is the same either way. The only real deadline is the 50% discount, which ends October 5.
Shadow of Mordor — Game of the Year Edition
You play Talion, a Ranger of the Black Gate who loses everything on the night of Sauron’s return — and is brought back from death by a mysterious spirit of vengeance. As his vendetta unfolds, you uncover the spirit’s identity, discover the origins of the rings of power, and build a legend across the open regions of Mordor.
📦 Everything Included
• “Lord of the Hunt” — a campaign expansion about hunting Mordor’s wildest beasts and turning them against Sauron’s forces
• “The Bright Lord” — play as Celebrimbor, the great Elven Lord of the Second Age, and wield the One Ring
• Guardians of the Flaming Eye — an exclusive Warband mission at the Black Gate, earning the Wolf’s Head rune
• Bonus Warband missions, runes and skins
Shadow of War — Definitive Edition
The bigger, more ambitious sequel. You forge a new Ring of Power, conquer fortresses in massive siege battles, dominate Mordor from within, and confront the full power of Sauron and his Ringwraiths — with the Nemesis System expanded into a full army-building layer.
📦 Everything Included
• Sword of Dominion bonus weapon
• “Desolation of Mordor” — play as Baranor, Captain of the Tower of Minas Ithil, raising an Easterling army in Mordor’s Eastern Deserts
• “Blade of Galadriel” — play as Eltariel, hunting the newest Ringwraith with dual-wield combat and the Light of Galadriel
• Slaughter Tribe Nemesis Expansion — Mordor’s most feared and ferocious tribe
• Outlaw Tribe Nemesis Expansion — rebels against both the Dark Lord and the Bright Lord, wielding chains to capture enemies
Remember: online Conquests, Vendettas, Fight Pits, Chests and Training Orders are not available in this edition.
Aspyr’s Middle-earth Revival
These ports are part of a broader effort from Aspyr, the Austin-based Embracer Group studio, to bring classic The Lord of the Rings games to new players — following the recent release of The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition. Aspyr promises more classic releases from the franchise in the future.
The studio has been busy on Switch 2 in particular, recently launching Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration on the console, alongside Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered across platforms.
📅 Out Now · Nintendo Switch 2 · 50% Off Through October 5
Both games are available now on the Nintendo eShop for Switch 2, individually or as the Middle-earth: Shadow Bundle. The 50% launch discount ends October 5.
Hi there! I’m Marie, also known as CtrlQueen. I’m passionate about keeping up with the latest in gaming news and sharing my insights. RPGs steal my heart with their rich narratives and immersive worlds, but I also love unwinding with fun, casual games. Whether you’re here for deep dives into game mechanics or just to chat about your favorite casual game, you’ve found the right place! Let’s game and explore together.
