More adventures await in the fantasy world of Middle-earth, as a new Lord of the Rings game is on the way. The title is a partnership between Weta Workshop, the production company that created the special effects in the movie trilogy, and Take-Two Interactive’s publishing label Private Division.
Currently in early development, the untitled project is set to be based upon the “literary works of the series” and is expected to launch in Take-Two’s 2024 fiscal run, which runs from April 2023 to March 2024. Not much else is known, but Amie Wolken, Weta’s head of Interaction, offered a brief look into plans in an official announcement post.
“It’s a privilege to create a new game set in Middle-earth, especially one that’s so different from what fans have played previously,” Wolken explained. “We’re excited for gamers to explore Middle-earth in a way they never had before.” While that doesn’t really explain anything, it seems the studio’s expertise in world-building for the trilogy is pointing to a possible exploration of the open-world genre.
Michael Worosz, head of Private Division, added, “We are thrilled to partner with Weta Workshop to publish a game set in such an extraordinary and celebrated universe. […] No entity is better equipped than the team at Weta Workshop to create a distinctive, new Middle-earth gaming experience.” The publisher’s portfolio include several well-known titles, including Supergiant Games’ Hades, Obsidian Entertainment’s The Outer Worlds, and Roll7’s Rollerdrome.
This new game joins a few other Lord of the Rings adaptations that are on the way. Amazon’s The Rings of Power TV series is dropping soon on 2 September, while a free-to-play mobile game titled Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth is currently in the works at EA. Another video game starring Gollum from Daedalic Entertainment is also coming, but has been delayed from its planned 1 September release.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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