New AAA Lord of the Rings Game Reportedly in Development

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Several video games based on The Lord of the Rings have been released, including Tales of the Shire, Gollum, and Return to Moria. But none have achieved the same level of popularity as the two games previously made by Monolith Productions. Now, a recent report suggests another ambitious Lord of the Rings game may be in development.

Crystal Dynamics, the studio behind popular games like Tomb Raider, is reportedly developing a video game based on The Lord of the Rings. Details are scarce, but Insider Gaming reports the project is receiving financial backing from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and aims to offer a similar open-world experience to the highly successful Hogwarts Legacy. Despite mixed reviews, Hogwarts Legacy has sold over 40 million copies as of December 2025, proving the appeal of expansive worlds set in popular franchises.

We previously reported on funding from ADIO and the Hogwarts Legacy game’s influence. The new detail is that Crystal Dynamics is working on this Lord of the Rings game alongside Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst. While a release date isn’t known, the game is still some time off, which makes sense considering the team is already developing two other major titles.

There Is Another Lord of the Rings Game Reportedly in Development, Too

Don’t mistake this for other rumors about a Lord of the Rings game. According to industry expert Ryszard Chojnowski, Warhorse Studios – the team behind Kingdom Come: Deliverance – is reportedly working on a Lord of the Rings project. Since Embracer Group owns both Warhorse and the rights to Lord of the Rings, and Warhorse specializes in medieval games, it makes sense they’d tackle this franchise. However, sources at Insider Gaming say if Warhorse is making a Lord of the Rings game, it’s a separate project from the one being developed by Crystal Dynamics.

Crystal Dynamics has faced significant challenges recently. Their game, Marvel’s Avengers, didn’t perform well and wasn’t a good match for the studio’s strengths, something its publisher, Square Enix, has acknowledged. Following the game’s difficult launch, the studio experienced at least five rounds of layoffs, with the latest occurring in late March 2026. Currently, they’re working on Legacy of Atlantis, a remake of the original Tomb Raider, planned for release in 2026, and Catalyst, expected in 2027. With a potential Lord of the Rings game also in development, this is a heavy workload for a team that has been considerably reduced in size.

Recent Lord of the Rings games on consoles and PC haven’t fared much better. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was universally criticized, ultimately leading to the closure of Daedelic Entertainment’s game development studio. While Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game aimed for a cozy experience and The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria focused on survival and mining, both received only modest or negative reviews. Additionally, reports indicate that an online multiplayer game (MMORPG) planned by Amazon Games was canceled.

The previous Lord of the Rings games that did well were the Middle-earth series developed by Monolith, and many fans are hoping the new game from Crystal Dynamics will recapture that magic. Those games featured fast-paced combat similar to the Batman: Arkham series, and a unique “Nemesis System” where enemies remembered your actions, creating a personalized experience. While the 2017 sequel, Shadow of War, initially received criticism for its use of in-game purchases, opinions have improved over time after those elements were removed, allowing the game’s engaging core mechanics to stand out.

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2026-04-01 02:12