For reals this time. After yesterday's leak comes the official announcement from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for Middle-earth: Shadow of War, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Although gameplay footage is still being kept under wraps, that's coming March 8, we do have a fancy cinematic trailer and some key story details.

Shadow of War will pick up right after the first, but this time with the addition of a new Ring of Power. As the following cinematic showcases, it seems that the new Ring and the forces of Sauron will be kicked up a notch in the sequel. Timeline-wise the events will sit somewhere between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.



Besides the story, the main takeaway from the first game was the Nemesis system, whereby Orc generals and factions would fight with each other and the player and grow in strength and prominence. It was a dynamic setup that meant no two play-throughs of the game were the same. Shadow of War will expand on this by introducing Nemesis Fortresses and Followers -- deepening the layers of strategy when looking to control key points of interest.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War will be available for Xbox One, PC, and PS4 on August 23. It's Windows 10 release will also be available as an Xbox Play Anywhere title.