War in the North Dev Warned WB Not to Go Up Against Skyrim

In November 2011, the fantasy gaming landscape was set alight by two massive releases: Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Snowblind Studios’ The Lord of the Rings: War in the North. While one became a cultural phenomenon selling over 65 million copies, the other faded into commercial obscurity.

Looking back, the timing raises an interesting question about corporate decision-making. It seems unwise for Warner Bros. to launch The Lord of the Rings: War in the North in the same week as the unprecedented hype surrounding Skyrim. Yet, despite advice to the contrary from high-ranking developers, the publisher proceeded with the release.

This situation involved Christian Allen, a design director on the WB Games Seattle leadership team, who had experience with ambitious titles like Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor. Allen observed this decision and it sparked a trip down memory lane regarding how development priorities often clash with creative vision.

Allen recalled trying to convince Warner Bros. executives to avoid releasing the LOTR title simultaneously with Skyrim, arguing that it would not receive fair attention against such a behemoth. However, his concerns were ultimately overruled.

“I argued vociferously not to release this up against Skyrim, as it wouldn’t get a fair shake,” he reflected. “I got overruled. Nice to see it get a proper release.”

Allen suggested that the driving force behind Warner Bros.’ risk was often financial motivation. In large, stock-price driven organizations, quarterly revenue goals can dictate decisions more strongly than artistic considerations. As he put it, navigating executive expectations—and bonus structures—can make creative choices feel secondary.

The shadow of Skyrim ultimately became very long for Snowblind’s game. At the time, it appeared that every review simply compared the LOTR title to its massive competitor. Visibility suffered significantly; sources noted that the game received hardly any marketing, as it was either dismissed or assumed hardcore fans would already know about it.

Following the commercial disappointment of War in the North, Snowblind merged with Monolith Productions. This new entity quickly leveraged its expertise to release a series of highly acclaimed titles, including Gotham City Impostors and several entries in the hugely successful Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War.

Years later, Allen has continued his journey in the gaming industry, now serving as design director on the Steam hit Project Zomboid, demonstrating that even when initial ventures fail, the creative spirit can find new, successful avenues.