A new Lord of the Rings game is confirmed to be in the works at Private Division, the publishing label owned by Take-Two Interactive. The untitled project is being developed by Wētā Workshop and, according to Amie Wolken, Head of Interactive, is “different from what [Middle-Earth] fans have played previously”.
Those same fans will no doubt recognise the name Wētā Workshop. Based in New Zealand, the company is best known for its work on Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings motion picture trilogy as well as the not-as-good Hobbit films. More specifically, Wētā is known for its special effects and prop-making, responsible for iconic sets, weapons, and costumes seen throughout Middle-Earth’s cinematic adaptations.
This new Lord of the Rings game doesn’t have a confirmed title or release date, though Private Division has stated it will launch some time during Take-Two Interactive’s 2024 fiscal year.
Those hoping for a recreation of the original film trilogy in video game probably won’t find it here. The game announcement specifically refers to J.R.R. Tolkien’s original literary works, meaning we’re more likely to explore a different story and setting within the wider Middle-Earth mythos. Or, as Private Division puts, this game will explore “the underlying lore of the books”.
There’s certainly been a renewed interested in The Lord of the Rings as of late, mainly thanks to the upcoming Amazon television series. Earlier this year, EA announced that it has an LOTR game currently in the pipeline. Developed for mobile, this won’t be the AAA epic fans have been pining for though it’s being made by Capital Games, the same team behind the incredibly popular Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.
EA’s Lord of the Rings games: where are they now?
Meanwhile, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was due to be released in a few weeks’ time. Now, the stealth action game has been pushed back to an unconfirmed date – here’s our latest preview of the upcoming title.
Source: Private Division
