Amazon Games takes a second swing at The Lord of the Rings in collaboration with Embracer Group and Middle-earth Enterprises with a new LOTR MMO.
Amazon Games has confirmed it’s partnering with Embracer Group and Middle-earth Enterprises to develop a new, internally produced Lord of the Rings MMO. This forthcoming game termed an “open-world MMO adventure,” is set to depict a persistent Middle-earth world. Significantly, it will be based primarily on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings literary trilogy, distinguishing it from adaptations based on the film series and other media. Moreover, the game will have no connection to or association with Amazon’s The Rings of Power TV series.
Amazon Games Orange County, the team behind the successful New World MMO, leads the project. Amazon believes this experience will benefit the development of the new game, especially given the large-scale multiplayer battles that are synonymous with both New World and the world of Middle-earth.
As for the game’s specifics, Amazon Games has kept things under wraps, only confirming that the game is a AAA title currently in its early production stages. Plans are for the game to be released on both PC and consoles, with more details promised later.
Amazon Games VP Christoph Hartmann spoke about the venture, stating, “Bringing players a fresh take on The Lord of the Rings has long been an aspiration for our team, and we’re honoured and grateful that Middle-earth Enterprises is entrusting us with this iconic world.”
The game also represents another chapter in Amazon’s ongoing partnership with Embracer, with the two companies also working on a new Tomb Raider game from Crystal Dynamics.
However, this isn’t Amazon’s first attempt at a Lord of the Rings MMO. In partnership with Chinese game developer Leyou and Middle-earth Enterprises, Amazon Games previously embarked on a similar project that was abruptly cancelled in 2021 due to contractual complications following Leyou’s acquisition by Tencent.
The future of Middle-earth in the gaming world is bright, with Amazon’s MMO representing just one of many upcoming projects. Other games in the works include Daedalic’s The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria from Free Range Games, and Weta’s new Lord of the Rings game from Private Division.
