Despite the controversial reputation of its director, Daniel Vavra, the Czech team Warhorse Studios has demonstrated impressive talent for RPGs with their Kingdom Come: Deliverance duology. It had previously been speculated online that they would be the ideal studio for a new Lord of the Rings game, and this is now more than just wishful thinking.
Through their official team account, Warhorse Studios has confirmed that they are not only working on a new adventure for Kingdom Come (the phrasing suggests a ‘spin-off’ rather than Kingdom Come: Deliverance III) but also on an open-world RPG set in Middle-earth.
They also commented that they are “excited to share more about it at the right time.”
“Middle-earth” is the official name for the Lord of the Rings franchise, under which new series, films, and games based on Tolkien’s work are being created.
This news arrives alongside the announcement that Embracer—the owner of Warhorse Studios—will be splitting into two companies, with this team and the Middle-earth projects falling under the name Fellowship Entertainment.
The Lord of the Rings has not fared particularly well in the video game realm lately. Recent years have seen the terrible Gollum, while Return to Moria and Tales from The Shire did not achieve the success their developers hoped for, and the MMO announced by Amazon was cancelled. Major companies are seeking another grand success for The Lord of the Rings, akin to Shadow of Mordor, but they are struggling to achieve it. We genuinely believe Warhorse has the necessary skills to create a great adventure; we only hope they keep Vavra away from the microphones.
Currently, there is no information regarding a potential release date or the platforms it will be available on. It is anticipated that the game is still some time away.
