New Lord of the Rings game by Wētā Workshop to be published by Private Division

For the many Lord of the Rings lovers out there, any chance they get to delve into an experience that reminds them of life in Middle Earth is one they have to take, even if it’s just a Skyrim mod inspired by Shadow of Mordor.

Now, however, it looks as though these folks will be getting another game set directly in the universe they find so interesting at some point in the future.

Said title has been announced via a partnership between Wētā Workshop’s interactive game division and publisher Private Division.

Are you ready to return to Middle Earth?

Unveiled via a press release, the partnership will see a new game set in the Middle Earth universe be developed, with it being emphasised that Wētā Workshop has the “broadest creative licence to interpret the underlying lore of the books”.

Aside from this, not much is known about the game, which is currently “in early development and does not yet have an announced release date”, though the 2024 fiscal year of Private Division parent company Take-Two Interactive is mentioned as the expected launch window as of right now.

“The Lord of the Rings IP is home to so many remarkable stories,” said Take-Two Interactive Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Private Division Michael Worosz, adding: “no entity is better equipped than the team at Wētā Workshop to create a distinctive, new Middle-earth gaming experience.”

Wētā Workshop’s Head of Interactive Amie Wolken gave some possible insight into the philosophy behind the new title, saying: “It’s a privilege to create a new game set in Middle-earth, especially one that’s so different from what fans have played previously. As fans ourselves, we’re excited for gamers to explore Middle-earth in a way they never have before, and introduce new fans to the magic of The Lord of the Rings.”

Reaction to the announcement on social media saw many players outline their desire for the game to be single-player with an open world, citing the likes of Elden Ring as possible inspirations in terms of game design.

Regardless of whether you’d be up to fighting a lengthy boss battle against Sauron, make sure to follow us for more coverage of fantasy series like The Elder Scrolls and The Witcher.