Guardians of Middle-earth

Guardians of Middle-earth is a 2012 multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 (and later Windows). Set in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, it brought the then-fast-rising MOBA genre, popularised on PC by titles like League of Legends and Dota, to home consoles, with controls and presentation tailored to gamepads and the living room. Players choose from a roster of more than twenty iconic Middle-earth 'Guardians', including heroes and villains such as Gandalf, Sauron, Gollum, Legolas and Nori, each with distinct abilities and roles, then battle in five-versus-five team matches across lanes defended by towers and waves of minions, working to destroy the enemy base. It supported online and local cooperative and competitive play and a progression system for unlocking and upgrading characters. Reception was mixed-to-positive; reviewers credited it as a competent console MOBA with strong Tolkien fan appeal, while noting the inherent challenge of translating the genre's precision to controllers and a smaller community than its PC rivals. It stands as a notable early attempt to bring the MOBA to consoles using a beloved license. Its servers were eventually shut down, taking its online-focused matches offline and limiting how the game can be played today.