Although the fires of fanaticism that circled the Lord of the Rings films has ended, or at least has gone on a temporary lull until The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters on December 14, 2012, the franchise may always have a fiercely loyal core following. Snowblind and Warner are counting on that when they release Lord of the Rings: War in the North later this summer.

But first, there is E3. E3 is a bit of a crucible for games like War in the North. The title has the benefit of a well-known name brand, but it is still an unknown commodity. And unlike the numerous sequels and new additions to the various franchises that will be present at E3, the game will need to cut its own path into the minds of gamers if it is going to grab their attention and hold it until its August release.

War in the North is an action/RPG featuring three characters involved in a…well, a war in the North. The game takes place during the events of The Lord of the Rings, but in a different theater of combat. As Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn all complete their own tasks, each fighting to hold the northern flank.

We will get a better look at how the title will fare next week when E3 begins. In the meantime, check out the recently released E3 trailer for Lord of the rings: War in the North, and look for it on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on August 24.

Editors' Recommendations