Free Content Is Coming To 'Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War'

Last month, Monolith revealed the new tribes and story expansions included in the expansion pass for Middle-earth: Shadow of War. Over the next four weeks, you’ll get free content to keep you busy in your fight against Sauron’s forces.

On November 21, you’ll have access to the Endless Siege, which allows enemy factions to constantly try and take back the fortresses you conquered. You’ll also see more mutinous Uruks and Ologs within your ranks, and you’ll need to quell these rebellions if you want a united army. The studio will also release new enhancements to the photo mode on the same day, which includes new filters, frames, and textures.

Next month, you can see how your best warriors fare against the Orcs of rival players in the Online Fight Pits that will allow you to select a follower from your army and have it fight against another player’s prized champion. If you win, you can earn “powerful rewards and upgrades.” If you want a tougher challenge in the overall game, you can try out the Brutal difficulty, which arrives on December 12. Monolith said that in addition to the tougher enemies, you also won’t be able to get any “last chance” maneuvers if you’re defeated in combat.

If you own or plan to buy the expansion pass, you’ll get even more content on November 21 with the release of the Slaughter tribe. The Outlaw tribe will also make an appearance on December 12. The Outlaws are labeled as the toughest Orcs in the game, and on the Brutal setting, these warriors could be the hardest foes to take down.

The amount of new content coming after launch is common for most major titles. In the case of Middle-earth: Shadow of War, however, the plethora of new features so early after launch could also be another way to keep players invested in the game. Over the past month, other major games launched, including Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, and Call of Duty: WWII. All of these titles are competing for your attention, and by releasing more content — especially when it’s free — Monolith wants to keep you in Mordor for as long as possible.