After a pretty rough stretch for Lord of the Rings games, Middle-earth is getting another shot at a major RPG adaptation.
Warhorse Studios - the team behind the Kingdom Come series - has officially revealed it’s developing a brand-new open-world RPG set in Tolkien’s fantasy world, and while details are still fairly limited, the project is already attracting a lot of attention.
Mostly because the studio involved makes this feel a little more serious than some recent attempts.
New Middle-earth
The game was announced in May 2026 as an untitled “Middle-earth RPG,” though the reveal itself was intentionally light on specifics.
No screenshots, trailers, or concept art were shown, and the developers haven’t confirmed exactly where in Tolkien’s timeline the game takes place yet.
Still, the phrase “Middle-earth RPG” alone does a fair amount of heavy lifting.
Warhorse says the game will feature an open world, strong narrative focus, memorable characters, and what the studio describes as a “deeply immersive” experience.
Familiar Approach
That description lines up fairly closely with what players already know from the Kingdom Come games.
Warhorse has built its reputation around grounded RPG systems, slower-paced exploration, and highly detailed world-building rather than fast arcade-style combat or cinematic spectacle.
Applied to Middle-earth, that could potentially make for a very different type of Lord of the Rings game compared to recent releases.
And honestly, that may work in its favour.
Difficult Run
The franchise hasn’t exactly had the smoothest time in gaming over the last few years.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum became one of the most heavily criticised releases in recent memory, while 2025’s Tales of the Shire also struggled to win over players despite its more relaxed approach.
That’s left a lot of fans cautiously optimistic whenever new Middle-earth projects appear.
At the same time, there’s still a huge amount of goodwill attached to the setting itself. Games like Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War proved there’s absolutely still an audience for strong Tolkien-inspired action and RPG experiences when the execution lands properly.
Long Wait
Anyone hoping to play this new RPG soon may need a bit of patience though.
Warhorse has already indicated the studio’s next Kingdom Come title is expected first, with the Middle-earth project arriving sometime afterwards. Based on current timelines, that likely places the release beyond 2027.
So for now, the project is still very much in the early reveal stage.
Bigger Plans
The game is also part of a much larger push around Lord of the Rings gaming and entertainment.
Embracer recently confirmed the creation of Fellowship Entertainment, a new division built around major fantasy and gaming properties including The Lord of the Rings, Tomb Raider, and several major game studios connected to those franchises.
Alongside the new RPG, more Lord of the Rings films are also currently in development, including The Hunt for Gollum arriving in 2027.
So while Middle-earth adaptations have had a mixed few years, it definitely doesn’t look like the franchise is slowing down anytime soon.
