Players eager for a new role-playing game set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth will need to exercise patience, according to Warhorse Studios, the developer behind the Kingdom Come series. The studio confirmed it is working on an open-world Lord of the Rings RPG, but shared that more information will not be available for some time.
In a statement on social media, Warhorse indicated that while they are "excited to tell you guys more, you've just gotta be patient for now." This suggests a lengthy development cycle for the project. The studio previously announced the game earlier this year, describing it as a "deeply immersive" open-world Middle-earth RPG that will feature a “living world” populated by “interesting characters, memorable places, and, of course, a strong narrative focus."
Deliverance 2 design director Viktor Bocan is reportedly leading the development of this untitled Lord of the Rings game. Warhorse is also concurrently working on a new Kingdom Come game and a Kingdom Come movie.
This is not the only Lord of the Rings game in development. Crystal Dynamics, the studio behind Tomb Raider, is also said to be working on its own title. Both Warhorse and Crystal Dynamics are owned by Embracer Group, which holds the rights to The Lord of the Rings.
Beyond these new projects, Aspyr Media has teased further re-releases of classic Lord of the Rings games, following the recent shadow-drop of War in the North. The franchise's reach extends beyond gaming, with Amazon Prime Video's The Rings of Power series set to return for its third season in November, and Andy Serkis directing The Hunt for Gollum film, slated for a 2027 release.