Why War in the North didn’t get the attention it deserved
Intelligence Summary
- An analysis of The Lord of the Rings: War in the North’s release and how its timing clashed with Skyrim.
In brief
- The Lord of the Rings: War in the North was released on November 1, 2011, just 10 days before Skyrim.
- Its launch timing also overlapped with other major titles like Uncharted 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
- Christian Allen, a former member of Warner Bros. Games’ leadership team, criticized the decision to release War in the North alongside Skyrim.
GAME-scanner analysis
The release of The Lord of the Rings: War in the North on November 1, 2011 is often seen as a missed opportunity, especially because of its unfortunate timing with Skyrim’s launch on November 11. Christian Allen, who was involved in development, publicly voiced concerns about that decision. He argued that the game didn’t get the “fairness” it deserved because it was overshadowed by the massive hype around Skyrim. This is a crucial point, as it shows how important release timing is in the competitive gaming market.
On top of that, War in the North launched on the same day as Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and just one week before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. That competition undoubtedly affected the game’s sales and overall reception. The combination of these factors created a situation where War in the North didn’t get the attention it deserved, despite being a solid co-op RPG.
What does this mean for players?
For players interested in Middle-earth, this means War in the North offers a unique experience that may have gone under the radar. The game provides a different take on Tolkien’s lore and can now, with renewed attention, be rediscovered. This could also lead to a broader reappraisal of the game within the franchise.
Timeline
November 1, 2011: The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is released.
November 11, 2011: Skyrim is released, drawing gamers’ attention away.
November 3, 2011: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is released, on the same day as War in the North.
November 8, 2011: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is released, one week after War in the North.
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Sources
Tweet van @SerellanTweet van @SerellanChristian Allen, who was on the leadership team at Warner Bros. Games when 2011's The Lord of the Rings: War in the North came out, has commented on the recent re-release , saying he's happy the game is coming back because it didn't get a "fair shake" upon its original release. Why's that? He said he "argued vociferously" not to release it at the same time as Bethesda's iconic RPG The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Tweet van @SerellanTweet van @Serellan"15 years ago I argued vociferously not to release this up against Skyrim, as it wouldn't get a fair shake. I got overruled," he said ( via VGC ). "Nice to see it get a proper release."
Tweet van @SerellanTweet van @SerellanWar in the North was originally released on November 1, 2011--just 10 days later, Bethesda released Skyrim. In addition to launching around the same time as Skyrim, War in the North launched on the same day as Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and a week before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
Tweet van @SerellanTweet van @SerellanWar in the North was originally released on November 1, 2011--just 10 days later, Bethesda released Skyrim. In addition to launching around the same time as Skyrim, War in the North launched on the same day as Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and a week before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.