A deal has been struck between Amazon Games and Embracer Group and its subsidiary Middle-earth Enterprises, part of the operative group Freemode, for the development of an open-world MMO game based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
The massively multiplayer online game will contain adventures based on the adventures of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in Middle-earth and will be available to play globally on consoles and PC. It is currently in the early stages of production, with the Amazon Games Orange County studio — makers of the popular open-world MMO game New World — leading development.
“We’re committed to bringing players high-quality games, whether through original IPs or long-beloved ones like The Lord of the Rings,” said Christoph Hartmann, VP of Amazon Games. “Bringing players a fresh take on The Lord of the Rings has long been an aspiration for our team, and we’re honored and grateful that Middle-earth Enterprises is entrusting us with this iconic world.”
Amazon previously attempted an open-world MMO within the expansive world of Middle-earth in 2019, but the project was canceled in 2021.
The studio also currently produces the series that has been met with mixed reviews from diehard Tolkien fans, The Rings of Power, based on the Second Age of Middle-earth. While Amazon has taken both projects on, they are unrelated.
“We have the clear ambition to create the highest-quality entertainment products for this IP, whether we utilize internal resources or team up with the best industry partners that complement our capabilities. We’re taking every care to deliver an MMO which will do justice to the expansive Middle-earth universe and delight players around the world,” commented Lee Guinchard, CEO of Freemode.
There is no title or timeframe for this new massive game, but stay tuned for more details as they are announced.
