Amazon Reportedly Cancels Its Planned Lord of the Rings MMO – but More Awaits Fans of Middle-Earth
Amazon says it is exploring a different Middle-earth game after canceling the long-planned MMO, while still aiming to release a Lord of the Rings title.
- Amazon head of games Jeff Grattis said the company continues to explore a new Lord of the Rings game, stating, "We are working closely with Middle-earth and remain excited about the IP," without confirming whether The Rings MMO was cancelled.
- Initially announced in 2019, the project was cancelled in 2021 after Tencent acquired Leyou, then revived in 2023 at Amazon Games Orange County before over 14,000 employees were let go last year.
- Reports suggest Amazon shifted staff from the New World MMO to The Rings MMO, while rumors persist that Crystal Dynamics and Warhorse Studios are developing separate Tolkien-based games.
- Despite shifting development, Amazon aims to capitalize on the Tolkien franchise, which includes the Rings of Power, while continuing to act as international publisher for Korean MMOs like Lost Ark and Throne And Liberty.
- New World is shutting down in January 2027, highlighting Amazon's ongoing shift away from developing its own MMOs toward licensed intellectual property.
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Amazon reportedly cancels its planned Lord of the Rings MMO – but more awaits fans of Middle-earth
Amazon has cancelled its planned Lord of the Rings MMO, according to a new report, but there are still gaming projects in the works that fans of Middle-earth should look forward to.Of course, there's been no shortage of Lord of the Rings games over the years, varying from the sublime (Return of the King on PS2, Shadow of Mordor on PS3) to the ridiculous (we don't need reminding of the ill-fated Gollum game from a couple of years ago).And hey, it…
It's a curse that seems to stick to the skin of Amazon Games. For the second time in five years, the tech giant throws sponge on his ambitious MMO project based on Tolkien's universe. Between massive layoffs, strategic restructuring and persistent rumors about the use of AI, the fate of the video game The Lord of the Rings falls back into darkness.
What’s Going on with Amazon’s Lord of the Rings Game? The “Cancelled” MMO, Explained
Back in 2023, Amazon announced it was developing a new Lord of the Rings MMO in collaboration with Embracer Group. This was interesting news, given that The Lord of the Rings Online is still going strong considering its age. But many fans were excited at the prospect of a modern MMORPG set in Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Alas, the project does not appear to be moving forward in its original form. In fact, rumors of the game’s cancellation have croppe…
The Lord of the Rings is really struggling to make its comeback in the video game scene. After the disappointment, Amazon encourages you to move on.
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