This is Amazon’s second attempt to develop “The Lord of the Rings” MMO game.
American multinational tech major Amazon announced yesterday that it will develop a new massively multiplayer online, or MMO, game featuring some famous movie series like ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit.’ Amazon Games and Embracer Group, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Middle-earth Enterprises, have reached an agreement to develop and publish an MMO game based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Amazon Games said that the game is in the early stages of production, and Amazon Games Orange County studio, which is the same studio behind the MMO game New World, is leading the development. The video gaming arm of Amazon said that it will publish the game for PC and consoles worldwide. However, the company said to share other details like the launch time later.
“We’re committed to bringing players high-quality games, whether through original IPs or long-beloved ones like The Lord of the Rings,” said Amazon Games vice president Christoph Hartmann. “Bringing players a fresh take on The Lord of the Rings has long been an aspiration for our team, and we’re honored and grateful that Middle-earth Enterprises is entrusting us with this iconic world. We’re also pleased to be expanding our relationship with Embracer Group following our Tomb Raider deal last year, as they’ve proven to be excellent collaborators.”
Amazon Studios produces the hit series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power for Prime Video. But the company says that the show is unrelated to this upcoming MMO game in development with Amazon Games.
Meanwhile, this is Amazon’s second attempt to develop “The Lord of the Rings” MMO game. The project was first announced in 2019, and Amazon Game Studios partnered with Leyou Technologies Holdings to develop the game. At the time of the announcement, the game was described as a free-to-play MMO set in Middle-earth and was expected to feature a vast and immersive world where players could explore iconic locations, encounter familiar characters, and embark on epic adventures within the rich lore of “The Lord of the Rings.”
However, the project was canceled in 2021 after a disagreement between Amazon and China-based Tencent Technologies, which acquired Leyou in December 2020. Meanwhile, with this attempt of developing the as-yet-untitled ‘The Lord of the Rings’ game, Amazon Games hopes to continue growing momentum in game publishing and development.
