Recent years have seen a lull in video games based on The Lord of the Rings, but the forecast finally seems to be shifting. A number of titles based on Tolkien's works appear to be in development, news that is likely to excite many The Lord of the Rings fans who have been waiting for new experiences. The wait may have been long, but a new era of The Lord of the Rings video games is on the horizon.
Middle Earth is a world of endless possibilities, teeming with a rich history of characters, locations, and conflicts that offer many avenues for exploration. The Lord of the Rings has a long gaming pedigree, starting in the 1980s with adventure games licensed from the novels and picking up steam again after the release of The Fellowship of the Ring's film adaptation with a steady flow of new titles. Both games based on The Lord of the Rings books and movie tie-ins have drawn fans and acclaim in varying degrees, but the stream of releases eventually dried up, with the most recently released major title being 2017's Middle-earth: Shadow of War.
Five The Lord Of The Rings Games Are Incoming
A new Eurogamer article references a report from the Embracer Group, the current license holder for games based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, which reveals five games in the works from the company. These titles are planned to release in 2023 and 2024, indicating that some have likely been in the works for a while. After years of the only new Middle Earth game arriving in the form of updates for The Lord of the Rings Online, this sudden burst of upcoming titles is an abrupt shift towards a robust gaming landscape that fans are likely to welcome.
What Could New Lord Of The Rings Games Explore?
None of the planned The Lord of the Rings games from Embracer will be based on the film adaptations, as the rights that the company holds are based on Tolkien's original texts. With the depth of material that the novels include, this is hardly a limitation, and there are plentiful avenues for speculation about possible subjects for the games. Titles could follow the heroes of the Fellowship or Bilbo's dwarven company on their quests, but diving into less-visited corners of Tolkien's world is an equally viable strategy. The one upcoming game that has been publicly revealed shows Mirkwood and Mordor through Gollum's bulging eyes, an unconventional choice with exciting potential.
The upcoming The Lord of the Rings games could easily cover multiple genres, potentially giving gamers of every inclination something to anticipate. Past games have ranged from action-adventure experiences to RTS battle simulations, and a new age of Middle Earth games could bring similarly varied experiences up to speed with current trends in game design. No matter what direction the unrevealed titles ultimately take, the promise of new The Lord of the Rings games is an exciting one. Unexpected journeys can lead to vast treasures, and the return of The Lord of the Rings video games brings the potential for new tales in 2023 and beyond.
Source: Eurogamer, Playstation/Youtube