The Lord of the Ringsfranchise has been getting a wealth of spin-offs over the past few years from video games to TV shows, ushering in what will hopefully be a new era for the beloved series. It’s great that it’s getting so much love and attention - even if it is to capitalize on a popular IP - although strangely, rarely do these spin-offs actually nail the feeling and tone that comes from theLOTRbooks and original films. This is best seen in therecent flock ofLOTRgames, which don’t getLord of the Ringsright, and, in most cases, aren’t very good.
Perhaps the best example of this isThe Lord of The Rings: Gollumgame, which ended up being thebiggest gaming flop of 2023with poor performance both in-game and in sales numbers. It brings into questionthe serious lack of goodLord of the Ringsgames, and the strange direction developers keep taking with the franchise. It is a frustrating reality that the last good newLOTRgame was from 2017, and since then, fans haven’t had anything that really captures the magic and wonder that theLord of the Ringsname evokes.
LOTR Games Keep Picking The Wrong Genres
Why Is There A Cozy Hobbit Game Before A New Open-World RPG?
The recent slate ofLord of the Ringsgames has been incredibly strange, not least because they’ve all chosen genres that feel completely antonymous to theLOTRbrand. Whether it’s themiddlingReturn to Moria, which is a survival crafting game, the endlessly confoundingGollumgame, or the cozy life simTales of the Shire,these games, which all offer a fresh perspective on the franchise, fail to capture what makesLOTRso special. They lack the adventure, whimsy, camaraderie, and scale that the films and books offered all those years ago.
That’s not to say thatLord of the Ringsgames always need to follow the adventures of Frodo and the Fellowship, nor do they need to be action-packed open-world affairs. Having a spin-off that focuses on a different facet of theLOTRuniverse is definitely a good idea, as proven by thepositive previews forTales of the Shire. However, a franchise should only really get spin-offs when it has something to spin-off from, and yettheLord of the Ringsvideo games are sorely lacking anything that even remotely resembles the adventure promised in the original trilogy.
The Cozy LOTR Game You’ve Been Waiting For, Tales Of The Shire, Finally Gets Release Date
A new Lord of the Rings game that focuses on the idyllic hobbit life, Tales of the Shire, finally has a release date thanks to a Hobbit Day reveal.
Of course, this isn’t to discredit the efforts of the movie tie-in games, nor even the decent co-op RPG,War in the North. However, those games were released in a time that lacked the innovative gameplay and gorgeous visuals of today, existing beforeBreath of the WildandElden Ringhad proven that the open-world formula could still be fun andGod of War (2018)orThe Last of Usproved that video games were capable of being cinematic experiences.That time is now, and yet, for whatever reason, theLOTRfranchise has not made the most of it.
Shadow Of Mordor/War Isn’t Enough
There Shouldn’t Just Be Two Open-World LOTR Games
Fans ofShadow of Mordorand its 2017 sequelShadow of Warare likely screaming, wondering why they haven’t been mentioned yet. They’re both open-world RPGs with amazing combat that take place across Middle Earth while incorporating key elements from its vast lore, immersing players further into theLOTRuniverse.These are absolutely the kinds of games that should be coming out of theLord of the Ringsbrand, at least when they’re notsaturated with unnecessary microtransactions.
However, there aren’t any more games likeShadow of War, nor has a sequel been announced, leaving the beloved series in the dark. It was the last of its kind, at least for now, marking the end of any attempt at making a more comprehensivelyLOTR-feeling experience. Once again, that’s not to say there haven’t been anyLOTRgames since 2017, but rather,there haven’t been any that have captured the fundamental tenets of what aLOTRgame should encapsulate, namely a sense of adventure, deeply compelling worldbuilding, cinematic fantasy flair, and the ability to explore the wonderous Middle Earth.The Lord of The Rings Onlinedoes a fantastic job with the world and characters, but despite new expansions, it’s not really a new game.
The only games post-Shadow of Warset in theLOTRuniverse are a digital adaptation of the popular deck-building gameThe Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game, as well asGollum,Return to Moria, and the upcomingTales of the Shire. That means in the eight years betweenShadow of WarandTales of the Shire, there wasn’t a single attempt at creating a new AAALOTRgame.
However,the lack of bigger, AAA releases within theLOTRbrand feels truly unheard of in the modern-day eraof remakes and reboots that demands every IP needs to be milked until exhaustion. UnlikeStar Warsor evenHarry Potter, which both received huge open-world RPGs,Lord of the Ringshas gone without a serious mainline title for too long. It is a baffling revelation, one made even more confounding when Amazon’s big investment in theRings of Powerseries is taken into consideration, and yet even that has been critically panned for not gettingLOTRright.
The LOTR MMO Is A Step In The Right Direction
Fans Still Need More Triple-A Titles
Theupcoming unnamedLord of the RingsMMO, which seeks to build on the foundation thatLord of the Rings Onlineset, is absolutely a step in the right direction. It promises a sweeping rendition of Middle Earth packed full of adventures, characters, and villains from acrossThe HobbitandLord of the Ringsstorylines, offering players what they’ve been asking for. It will cater to those who would rather play online and have the time to devote a huge chunk of their lives to investing in an MMO and the grind that comes associated with that.
However, for those who either would prefer to play alone or simply don’t have the time for an MMO, there is no alternative, yet, for aLOTRgame that gets what makes the series so beloved in the first place right. At this rate,players are more likely to seeElder Scrolls 6release before a proper single-player cinematic adventure game set in theLOTRuniverse. It’s a great shame, especially considering the vast potential of theLord of the Ringsuniverse and the plethora of time periods and iconic events that games could explore.
Of course, one can hope that a secret yet unannounced sprawling open-worldLord of the Ringsgame is merely around the corner, being kept hidden from the world like the One Ring itself. Until then, fans will have to make do withShadow of Mordor/War, or even go back to thesurprisingly goodLOTRmovie tie-in games. Hopefully, someone will realize the potential theLord of the RingsIP holds for a full-blown AAA experience, and finally deliver fans what they deserve.
