Since recent games based on the franchise haven’t exactly set the world on fire, maybe this upcoming one will finally turn things around…

According to Insider-Gaming, a brand-new Lord of the Rings game is currently in development. The project’s financing deal is partly backed by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), and both the agreement and the game itself could be revealed as soon as next week. The site hasn’t shared many details about the title, other than describing it as a third-person action game designed to compete directly with Hogwarts Legacy. In addition to ADIO’s involvement, the Embracer Group – which acquired the rights to the iconic fantasy franchise and future game development in 2022 – is also on board. Another studio mentioned in the report is Revenge.

The last third-person action games set in the world of The Lord of the Rings were Warner and the now-defunct Monolith Productions’ Middle-earth series (Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War). That series introduced the infamous Nemesis system, which will likely not return since Warner owns the rights to the mechanics. Still, it’s exciting to know that negotiations are underway for a new action game set in Middle-earth. Classic Electronic Arts titles from the PlayStation 2 era (based on Peter Jackson’s films) remain fan favorites, and even though only two were ever released, Monolith Productions’ Middle-earth games are remembered for more than just the Nemesis system.

Fans would welcome a new serious Lord of the Rings title, especially after the disappointing releases of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum and Tales of the Shire. The former was particularly disastrous — developed by Daedalic Entertainment after numerous delays, its failure was so significant that the studio reverted to being a publisher.

Source: WCCFTech, Insider-Gaming