Following Embracer’s acquisition of Tolkien’s universe rights, a partnership with Amazon was formed to develop various projects, including new series, films, and video games. One of these ambitious undertakings was a new Lord of the Rings MMO, being developed by the team responsible for New World. Unfortunately, like many grand visions recently, this project has also been shelved.
In October 2025, Amazon announced a significant restructuring aimed at “focusing on what it does best,” which led to the dismissal of approximately 14,000 employees, many from the Amazon Game Studios division. This inevitably impacted New World, which ceased to receive updates, leading many to question the future of the game set in Middle-earth. At the time, there was silence or vague assurances that it was “still in development,” but these statements lacked firm commitment. We can now confirm that the MMO is no longer proceeding.
In a recent article discussing ‘Project Trident’—an internal Amazon initiative to develop generative AI games that was reportedly destined to fail—Eurogamer confirmed the cancellation of the Lord of the Rings MMO without any public announcement. Jeff Grattis, head of Amazon’s gaming division, later confirmed to them that they are working on another “gaming experience” based on the saga, though he provided no further specifics.
This cancellation marks yet another casualty in an industry fixated on unsustainable economic growth. We continue to witness the unveiling of massive AAA projects with extensive teams, only for them to be abandoned at the first sign of not meeting extraordinary financial expectations, with developers often bearing the brunt of these decisions.
The Lord of the Rings franchise has faced recent challenges in the video game sector. The past few years saw the release of the poorly received Gollum, while titles like Return to Moria and Tales from The Shire did not achieve the success their developers had hoped for. Major companies are seeking another monumental hit for The Lord of the Rings, reminiscent of Shadow of Mordor, but are struggling to replicate that success.
On a more positive note, The Lord of the Rings Online continues to operate, serving fans of Tolkien and the MMO genre.
