Amazon has signed a deal with Embracer Group, the company that owns the IP rights to “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit”, to release a Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game based on the JRR Tolkien’s work. The upcoming game will be an open-world MMO adventure set in Middle-earth, featuring the stories of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” literary trilogy.
The game is in early stages of production at the Amazon Games Orange County studio, the same studio behind the MMO New World. Amazon Games will publish the game worldwide for PC and consoles. Amazon says it will reveal additional details, including launch timing, at a later date.
While Amazon Studios is producing “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” for Prime Video, Amazon says the show has nothing to do with this upcoming MMO game in development with Amazon Games.
“We are committed to providing players with high-quality games, whether original IPs or long-loved IPs such as Under the spell of the RingAmazon Games Vice President Christoph Hartmann said in a press release. “Giving players a fresh look Under the spell of the Ring has long been an ambition of our team and we are honored and grateful that Middle-earth Enterprises entrusts us with this iconic world. We are also pleased to expand our relationship with Embracer Group following our Tomb Raider deal last year as they have proven to be excellent collaborative partners.”
It’s worth noting that the upcoming game will be Amazon’s second attempt at a Lord of the Rings MMO. The company’s first attempt was announced in 2019 and then canceled in 2021. The game was co-developed by Amazon, Athlon Games, and Leyou. The project was shelved after a disagreement between Amazon and Tencent, which acquired Leyou in 2020.
News of the upcoming game comes as Amazon continues its push into video games and reworks its strategy. Earlier this year, the company laid off about 100 employees in its video games division. The layoffs include employees in the Game Growth group, Amazon’s San Diego gaming studio and Prime Gaming.
Amazon Games’ lineup includes the in-house developed MMO New World and the action role-playing game Lost Ark. The company is too developing a new multiplatform”Tomb Raider” title. Launched in 2013, Amazon Games has yet to produce a major hit despite several published projects. The company is now looking for success with a major fantasy franchise title that is likely to turn heads.