Game · in order
Lord of the Rings (Middle-earth) Games in Order
The notable Middle-earth games as a play-order guide, ordered two ways: by release date and by where they sit in Tolkien's timeline. The connected spine is the Monolith duology, Shadow of Mordor then Shadow of War, both set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Lord of the Rings (Middle-earth) Games in Order: complete list
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Why this order?
Unlike a single connected series, the Middle-earth games are decades of separate releases from many studios, so there is no strict "you must play them in this order" rule for most of the list. There is exactly one real ordered story here, and it is the modern spine: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) and its direct sequel Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017), both from Monolith Productions. They follow the ranger Talion, bonded with the wraith of the Elf lord Celebrimbor, and both are set in the roughly 60-year gap between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Play Mordor first, then War. That two-game arc is the one place order genuinely matters, because War picks up Talion's story exactly where Mordor left off.
Where should you start? Shadow of Mordor. It is the best entry point for a newcomer: a polished action game with the celebrated Nemesis system, and it introduces Talion and Celebrimbor before War expands everything. If you would rather play by Tolkien's timeline, the movie tie-ins (The Two Towers in 2002 and The Return of the King in 2003) and the RPG The Third Age (2004) sit inside the War of the Ring itself, alongside Frodo's journey, while the Monolith games sit earlier, before Fellowship begins. The Battle for Middle-earth real-time strategy games (2004 and its 2006 sequel) let you command whole armies across the trilogy's battles and beyond.
One title to set expectations on: The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (2023). It covers Gollum's captivity and escape, which slots in just before Fellowship, but it was a critical and commercial flop and is optional at best. It is on the list for completeness, not because it belongs in your first playthrough.
One more title worth noting is The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (2023), a survival crafting game set in the Fourth Age, after the War of the Ring, as Gimli leads a company of dwarves to reclaim Khazad-dum. That makes it the one game set entirely after the trilogy, so on a Tolkien-timeline run it comes dead last. It is a co-op base-builder rather than a story campaign, so play it for the exploration and crafting, not for a plot to follow in sequence.
The newest entry is Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game (2025), a cozy life-sim from Weta Workshop where you play a custom Hobbit in Bywater. It released July 29, 2025, and sits in the timeline gap between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, so on a Tolkien-timeline run it slots in before Shadow of Mordor.
These are only the games. Because every one of them sits inside Peter Jackson's film timeline, the natural companion is our Lord of the Rings Movies in Order guide, which covers all six Middle-earth films by release and by story. Read that alongside this list and the whole Tolkien rabbit hole, books to films to games, lines up.
Timeline 2002-2025
Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.
- 2002 The Two Towers
- 2003 The Return of the King
- 2004 The Battle for Middle-earthThe Third Age
- 2006 The Battle for Middle-earth II
- 2007 Online
- 5-year gap
- 2012 Lego The Lord of the Rings
- 2014 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
- 2017 Middle-earth: Shadow of War
- 6-year gap
- 2023 GollumReturn to Moria
- 2025 Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game
Where to play it today
- Steam and GOG on PC (Shadow of Mordor, Shadow of War, Gollum)
- PlayStation Store (Shadow of Mordor, Shadow of War, Gollum on PS4/PS5)
- Xbox Store (Shadow of Mordor, Shadow of War, Gollum on Xbox One and Series X/S)
- Nintendo eShop (Switch) for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
- The Battle for Middle-earth games are unlicensed and out of print; original PC discs only
- The Two Towers, Return of the King, and Third Age are delisted and playable on original PS2, Xbox, and GameCube discs
- Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store (PS5) and Xbox Store (Series X/S) for The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for The Lord of the Rings.
Frequently asked questions
What order should I play the Lord of the Rings games in?
There is no single required order for the whole list, since most are standalone. The one connected story is the Monolith duology: play Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) first, then its direct sequel Shadow of War (2017). Everything else can be played in any order you like.
Where should a newcomer start with the Middle-earth games?
Start with Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. It is the most polished and accessible entry, it introduces Talion and the acclaimed Nemesis system, and it leads directly into Shadow of War, giving you a satisfying two-game arc set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Are Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War canon to the books?
No. They are set in Tolkien's world and use his characters and lore, but their plot, including Talion and the forging of a new Ring, is original to the games and not part of Tolkien's writings. They sit in the timeline gap between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Is The Lord of the Rings: Gollum worth playing?
For most players, no. The 2023 Daedalic game covers Gollum's story just before Fellowship, but it was a critical and commercial failure and is often cited among the worst releases of its year. It is on this list for completeness rather than as a recommendation.
How do the Battle for Middle-earth games differ from the others?
They are real-time strategy games, not action or RPG titles. Battle for Middle-earth (2004) and Battle for Middle-earth II (2006) put you in command of entire armies across the trilogy's battles. They are out of print and were never officially re-released, so most players use original PC discs.
Which Lord of the Rings game is the newest?
Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game (2025), the cozy life-sim from Weta Workshop released July 29, 2025. It is set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The previous newest entry was The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (2023), a survival crafting game set in the Fourth Age, and Shadow of War (2017) remains the newest well-received action entry.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org
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